Jadushala
by Watcher
Summary: Harry in his fifth year, a strange amulet from Sirius, a mysterious school of wizardry, ***Jadushala***, Lockhart returns, Rita has a new role, Harry has a new animagus form, Ministry politics, Order's War, Voldermort has an ally** Please review****
1. Default Chapter

He was a bespectacled youth with unruly messy black hair who wore saffron-colored robes, and stood before a mountain. At his side, another tall wizard, clad in white robes, mumbled two words: 'Open Jadushala!' At those words, the mountain seemed to come alive-the solid stone in front of him folded inward to reveal an entrance. 

The wizard walked in, followed closely by the boy. As the boy stepped over the threshold of the entrance, darkness suddenly descended all around. He felt a sensation similar to that of being pulled by a port key. He landed in a huge hall completely unknown to him. 

Two men sat in the center of the hall, in what seemed to be thrones of solid gold. But for the flickering light cast by torches, which were held by men clad in dark black clothes standing around the throne in a semi-circle, the hall was dark. All of them had their hoods drawn so he couldn't see their faces. Each man in the semi-circle stood with head bowed in a symbol of submission. 

Both the men on the throne commanded a large sense of dread, yet seemed to be equals. One stood up and a sharp pain immediately shot through his head. The torchlight flickered unto the scarred, snake-like ghastly face. 

Voldemort. He looked more powerful than ever. A dark mist seemed to surround him and everybody around him appeared to shrink back with fear. The pain in his head became unbearable and the images shattered as he sat upright in his bed.   
  
  


It was a dream. He sweated profusely and his head throbbed with pain. He opened his eyes but his vision was blurred. He desperately felt around for his glasses, found them, and perched them on his nose. 

He stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. He, Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the Tri-Wizard Champion, the boy who defeated You-Know-Who, Godson of a convicted Mass-Murderer, the kid with the lightening scar, the subject of numerous news paper articles, the mini celebrity . . . felt fear. He had never seen Lord Voldemort so powerful. He could almost sense Voldemort's dark magic in his dream. The havoc You-know-Who had created at the Tri-Wizard tournament with only two faithful Death-Eaters and less then half his powers had still not sunk in yet. 

The death of Cedric . . . 

He shook off his thoughts. Harry didn't have the heart to think about him. In the past full week since he arrived at Privet Drive, that single last moment of Cedric's life consistently repeated in his dreams. Every time he dreamed of it, the cackle of Voldemort's laughter seemed to become louder and the Death of Cedric more cruel. 

It was only today that he had had a different dream. _Should I be relieved?_ he asked himself._ No! I--I have to ask Professor Dumbledore . . . I don't want to repeat last year's mistake._ Harry had not disclosed his dream to Dumbledore the year before, believing it would look like he was paranoid. And look at the trouble it got everyone into! 

On the flipside, Harry now felt justified with being paranoid over the resurrection of Lord Voldemort. If it could help save somebody's life, he was not ashamed to admit the paranoia to anyone. 

Sudden tapping from his window distracted him from his thoughts. He glanced over and saw it was Hedwig. He opened the window and let her in. She gave him a hoot and bit at his fingers affectionately. He gave her something to eat, then proceeded to untie the letter from her leg. It was from Sirius. 

  
_Dear Harry, _

_Hope you are alright. I wish I could let you stay with me. If those Muggles harass you, tell me and I will transfigure them into piglets. If you have any other problems (the scar hurting), write to Dumbledore. I have heard that he has thought up something for you. _

_As you know, we are working as the Headmaster. planned at the end of the Triwizard Cup, but that damned Minister Fudge is creating problems. However, don't you worry and start getting Ideas._

Harry did not think he liked how that last word was capitalized. 

_I am enclosing a gift for you. It is a family heirloom. Wear it at all times. It will keep you safe. _

_Gotta Hurry! _

_Keep Writing! _

_Love Snuffles _

Harry peered inside the envelope and found a strange amulet. There was a single rune in it, surrounded by five stars. Below the rune there were two carved eyes, embedded with two green stones. It seemed to have been made of a strange dark black metal. There was a small chain of the same metal in the envelope, which he hung the amulet on and then looped around his arm. 

He thought he saw the stones glow for second as the amulet throbbed with energy. What exactly had Sirius sent him? His scar stung again as the memory of the two men on the thrones flashed through his mind. After the pain receded, he dismissed the idea of seeing the stones glowing as aftereffects of the dream. 

Maybe he was taking the paranoia too far. After all, his head still ached from the dream and Sirius would never send him something harmful. 

_I've got to tell somebody. Can't repeat last year's mistake, and Dumbledore must know about this dream. It might be important, _he thought desperately. 

He bent forward and dropped his head onto the palms of his hands. He stared numbly at his lap. It took a moment for him to rouse himself from the state of nothingness to realize he heard flapping wings. He looked up just in time to see a huge brown barn owl fly through his window. It circled over his head and dropped two things into his lap. With a loud hoot, it perched beside Hedwig. It stared at him expectedly. 

Harry glanced quickly over the two things-a large packet and a letter addressed to him in Hermione's neat writing-before he stood up to give the barn owl an owl treat. As an afterthought, he pushed Hedwig's water dish to the barn owl and ignored the glare Hedwig gave him. 

Harry walked back to his bed and sat down across it cross-legged. He proceeded to read Hermione's letter. 

  
  
_Hi Harry, _

_Dad agreed to get me an owl of my own. I named him Sage because of the specks on his underside. How is everything with the Dursleys? Professor Dumbledore certainly thinks you will be safer there. I do not know if the Dursleys feed you properly since you always look skinny, so I sent along some cakes. _

_I also continued last year's subscription to the Daily Prophet and sent you a few copies because I know you are completely cut off from the magical world too. Fudge still is not accepting that Voldemort has risen, and that stricter vigilance is required. _

_With love, _

_Hermione _

_PS- Don't forget to write back!_

Harry looked at the parcel. A sense of relief filled him at the thought of Hermione's care. It did seem that the Dursleys did want to starve him to death, or at least hoped he would shrivel up into a bag of bones and die. 

They knew nothing of his exploits in the magical world, and after his explosive departure from their home last year, they had decided to keep their distance from him rather make him keep his distance from them. It meant he was locked up in his room for a larger part of the day. Popping out of the window was a cardinal sin, which could invite very stringent punishments. All this had been made clear to Harry at the start of his stay at Privet Drive. 

He was allowed to go out only after every two or three hours, but only if the Dursleys even remembered to let him out. Small amounts of food had been thrown in to his room thrice a day (if they remembered, because they conveniently forgot it at least once a day). He was deeply thankful for the complete solitude they granted him, but it also meant he was very lonely. Cedric's death had left a gaping hole of hurt inside, and the stares and snide comments at Hogwarts before he left for the summer had only deepened the wound. Since the Dursleys left him alone, he had only his thoughts for companions. In some ways, it only allowed Cedric's death to plague him because of the extra time, but in other ways, he had little to remind himself he was the Boy Wonder who was the reason for Cedric's death. 

At the thought of Cedric, Harry curled up into a little ball on the bed and fought against the wave of pain that washed thought him._ I don't know how long I can bear this. I can't do it for a full three months. _

He tried to shake away the grief, and picked up Hermione's letter in the hopes that her friendly words would distract him. He scanned the words, and a new feeling--despairing puzzlement--filled him. _Why does Dumbledore feel I'm safer here, in a Muggle colony in a Muggle house, with relatives who probably wouldn't mind if Voldemort killed me? _The one bright spot of light in Harry's dismal thoughts was that Voldemort would probably kill the Dursleys for principle's sake rather than talk them into handing Harry over. 

Harry shuddered at the thought. At least it seemed to Dumbledore and Sirius that Voldemort was unable to attack him at 4 Privet Drive. Perhaps they knew best. Of course they did, Harry decided. They were older than him, and had both fought against Voldemort in the last war. 

But what made them so sure? 

Harry turned his attention from Hermione's letter and the thoughts that accompanied it to the other roll of papers Sage had dropped. Harry picked up the roll. It was thick and heavy, being three issues of _The Dailey Prophet. _He unrolled and separated the issues, and read them one by one. 

**Muggles killed; dark mark returns!** __

_PARIS   
Staff reporter _

_Three Muggles were reportedly killed on Monday in Paris. More significantly, the dark mark was seen hovering above that house. It was glimpsed last summer during the World's Quidditch Cup, but had not been seen before that since the fall of You-Know- Who……………… _

Harry ignored the trembling in his arms and dryness of his throat as he dropped the paper and turned to the next issue. 

**Fudge Says Potter Fabricated Story** __

_LONDON   
Staff reporter _

_Minister Fudge spoke today that the story of You-Know-Who's return was fabricated. "It is the result of the fertile imagination of the minds of a few bored children," he told reporters. "Intelligence agencies have reported little to no increase in Death Eater activity. Young Mr Diggory may have been murdered by robbers who attempted to steal the TriWizard Tournament Cup. Ministry Aurors are investigating his unfortunate demise." _

_When questioned of why Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, would fabricate such a story, "As I said, he is a child. The fabrication may have been created for him to explain Diggory's death. But he is a celebrity of sorts, and this may be a plea for attention at Diggory's expense. Again, there is no worry of You-Know-Who. Regardless of Potter's story, Voldemort is dead and gone because of Potter in the first place." _

Harry cringed at what he read, and switched to the last issue. 

**Harry Potter Has Attention-Seeking Disorders **

"WHAT?" Harry choked with anger before he regained enough composition to resume what he was reading. "Of all the . . ." 

  
_By our special correspondent   
Gilderoy Lockhart _

Harry snorted. "Pot's calling the kettle black," he muttered darkly. 

_It is clear that Harry Potter is a boy plagued by an attention-seeking disorder. Bereaved of his parents at a very young age and destroying the most terrible Dark Lord the world as known. Potter lived a secluded life under the care of his Muggle relatives. _

_It is not easy to handle fame, as not everyone is an expert with it as yours truly. Potter was raised in a family that did not allow him to bask in his fame. When he began school in Hogwarts, he was encouraged to seek after more glory. _

_Harry suffered a severe disappointment from his childhood sweetheart, Hermione Granger, and a fight with his only friend Ron. This appears to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Perhaps in an attempt to get his friends back, Potter concocted a wild story of the return of You-Know-Who so the attention to be redirected back to himself. A super spy, such as myself, would surely know about You-Know-Who's return before the public. _

_It is obvious that my absence from Hogwarts in the past few years has created a gap in the boys upbringing, as he can only learn from a person as experienced as myself as to how one can handle fame………………………. _

Harry bunched the paper up and threw it down in utter disgust. It was going to be a long year, and any change of it being different last year was destroyed before school even started. 


	2. Chapter2:A plan

In an attempt to distract himself from what he had read in the newspapers, Harry flipped over onto his stomach and mulled over the dream he had the night before. He tried to remember what he had seen, but only snatches of the dream lingered still in his memory. 

So much of it was hazy to him, one great blur of colors that ran together and sounds that mashed and echoed. He could clearly remember there had been a man in white robes who said something (unfortunately, Harry could not clearly remember what), and there had also been another person with Voldemort. 

_It doesn't seem right,_ Harry thought. He vigorously scratched his head. The top of his scalp tingled from thinking too much. _Voldemort wouldn't allow anyone to sit beside him like an equal, unless that person's very powerful and can help Voldemort in some way._

In any which case, that did not bode well for Harry. The last thing he or anyone else needed was someone powerful enough to be considered an equal helping Voldemort. 

THUD! 

The noise from the stairs snapped Harry's chain of thought into pieces. Harry closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pain in his scar as Dudley bound down the stairs for breakfast. His weight had certainly not changed from a diet that did not work for him. Dudley, being roughly the same size as a baby elephant, tromped down the stairs, and Harry could hear every heavy footstep. 

Having steadfastedly ignored Harry since he had arrived, the Dursleys had adapted a chilling attitude to him when forced to recognize the fact that yes, Harry was living in their house. Harry felt invisible when they ignored him, and when their attention was on him, Harry felt like an ant about to be squashed. Why did they continue to let him reside in their house if they hated him so much? 

The only conclusion that Harry could draw was Dumbledore must have done something. The fear the Dursleys had for anything remotely wizardly had to have roots in some unpleasant encounter. 

"Dudley, dear!" Harry winced at his Aunt Petunia's shrill call of delight, which seemed to fill the entire house. "I made your favorite Chocolate Cheese sandwiches!" Harry gagged at the thought of chocolate cheese sandwiches. _That's, what? An extra thousand calories that Dudley can pack on to the rest of his fat self? _Harry was not in a charitable mood._In the meantime, I'm practically starving to death! _

Harry got down on his hands and knees before his bed and pulled his trunk out. He grabbed its handles and lifted it to knee-height before dropping it. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. Aunt Petunia's voice stopped. _There,_ Harry thought smugly, _that should remind them someone else in this house needs to be fed._ If there was one bright spot in being locked up in his room all summer, the Dursleys had to do things for him, rather than make him to things for them. 

Harry could hear Uncle Vernon mutter something as he moved up the stairs from the kitchen below. "Harry!" he yelled. "What have I told you about being a nuisance?" He unlocked the door and stepped into the room. His face was red from anger and his fists trembled at his sides. "What are--" He stopped and stared wordlessly at Harry. The blotchy redness of his face faded into pasty white as he watched Harry twirl his wand wordlessly through his fingers. After a moment, he frowned and straightened upward. "You can't use magic!" he declared hotly. "You'll be expelled from that school of yours." 

Harry shrugged as he scratched his head with the tip of his wand. "And after I've been expelled, I'll have to live here rather than at Hogwarts," he said. "And even if I'm expelled, does that stop me from doing any more magic?" Harry smiled at Uncle Vernon, though it was more of a show of teeth than a smile. "By the way, what's for breakfast?" Harry plastered an innocent look on his face and smiled charmingly, though the effect of it was lost on his uncle. 

Uncle Vernon turned his heel and left the room. Harry noticed how his bedroom door was left unlocked as Uncle Vernon trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, muttering the entire time beneath his breath of the costs of feeding other people's ungrateful kids, and wouldn't it have been nice if those other people had tried practicing birth control? 

Harry made a special note to turn Uncle Vernon into a toad after he graduated from Hogwarts. He closed his eyes and savored the idea of giving the formerly-Uncle-Vernon toad to Snape for a potions class. 

His fantasy was interrupted by Aunt Petunia's slipping into the room and dropping a plate of toast and marmalade on his desk. She locked the door when she left. 

While toast and marmalade, by and of themselves, wasn't very filling, there was enough on the plate for Harry to eat to a full stomach. He hummed with satisfaction as he rubbed his stomach before getting up and carrying the plate over to the door. He stooped over to shove the plate under the door's crack and paused at the sound of rising voices. 

"--he threatened me with his wand! I'm having difficulty tolerating the insolence of that brat, Petunia. You always stopped me from giving him the treatment he deserved, but if we don't do something soon, he's going to--he's going to. Well, he'll just do it! We have to do something, and you know it!" 

_Do what?_ Harry thought. Was he really that intimidating to Uncle Vernon to make him lose control and shout loud enough for Harry to hear him? Harry's heard the hum of Aunt Petunia's voice as she quietly tried to placate Uncle Vernon. Harry pushed the plate under the door and slowly stood up. 

Uncle Vernon's words worried Harry. It was bad enough Voldemort and his minions were out to kill Harry, but his own relatives? Harry sank down on his bed and fought against an overwhelming wave of depression. The whole world's out to get me, Harry thought gloomily as his gaze dropped upon _The Daily Prophet._ To what lengths would Uncle Vernon go to hurt Harry? 

Harry forced his trembling hands still. Maybe it's merely his imagination. Perhaps Uncle Vernon was feeling bitter about Harry, and there was really nothing to worry about. Harry took a deep breath and held it. He was paranoid, that was all. His dream of Voldemort was putting him on edge, and what he needed to do was take a drastic action to have a more comfortable summer. Since school had a habit of getting worse each year, Harry had a feeling that he was going to need a good break. 

Harry released his breath. He walked over to his window and opened it to let in fresh air. He flopped back onto his bed and stretched out across it. He needed to do something constructive, like Hermione would. 

A plan trickled into his mind, forming slowly. Harry turned the plan about in his head, tweaked it in a few spots, and then nodded in satisfaction. Outside help would be needed to carry this though, and who better than the twin propitiators of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes? 

Harry rummaged through his school books until he found an old spiral notebook. He ripped a page out of it and hastily scribbled his note. 

_Dear Fred and George: _

_How's the business coming along? I hoped you kept your promises to Ron. I want to give you an opportunity to test a few of your inventions. You know as well as I do that underage wizards are not allowed to use wands. The only sources of magic remaining for me to use is an Animagus transformation (and, seeing as how I know nothing of that we all know the likelihood of that), or one of your joke things. _

_I'm in a bit of a spot here, and wonder if you are capable of sending me certain objects from the list you sent me a couple days ago . . . _

_Please sent them as soon as possible, and don't tell Ron or anyone else please. I want to know more of what new pranks you've invested in. And do protect my businesses. _

_Your partner in crime, _

_Harry_

Harry walked over to the cage where Hedwig was in a deep slumber. He opened the cage's door and prodded her in the side until she roused herself long enough to nip his fingers testily. "Come on, Hedwig, I've got mail for you to deliver." He waved the letter in his hand. She glared at him. "I'll give you an owl treat." Hedwig hooted softly and turned her head from him. "Two owl treats?" Hedwig perked. "Three?" Hedwig hooted and fluttered out of the cage. "Feeling stubborn today, aren't you?" Harry muttered as he fished his box of owl treats out of his trunk. 

"I also have a letter you need to send to Hermione," he added as he gave her the treats. "I'll have that finished by the time you are." He quickly scribbled out a thank-you note to Hermione for the cakes he received, and sent it off with the Weasley twins' letter. 

It was so late at night that it was early morning. It was a stifling hot night, and Harry's window was open for some cool, desperate breeze to come drifting in. Harry snapped awake at the sound of beating wings just in time to see Hedwig slip through the bars across his window and flap over to her cage. She swung in a wide arc and dropped her the small parcel she carried onto Harry's bed. He sat up and reached for it just as another owl, this one with a large parcel, entered the room. The owl dropped the parcel directly onto Harry's head. 

_Definitely one of the negatives of Owl Post, _Harry thought darkly as he rubbed his hand. Harry grabbed the parcel to see whom it was from. "Fred and George," read the note. "Figures," Harry muttered. 

  
  


Harry put his plan into action as soon as Uncle Vernon had left for work, and Petunia to do some shopping. He watched as Aunt Petunia, wearing a little embroidered cap on her hair, drove away. As soon as she was out of sight, he pulled his parcels from out beneath his bed and opened them. From the largest parcel, he withdrew what looked like a small rubber ball. As soon as Harry placed it on the bed, it started inflating and twisting to form a life-like dummy of Harry. 

Harry whistled in awe and reached out to trace the dummy's lightening bolt-shaped scar. It nodded its head and blinked at him. Harry grinned and placed a special sparkle wand in one hand, and a book, titled 1001 Blasting Curses in the other hand. The sparkle wand was a Fred & George presentation that emitted strange sparks every few minutes, and the book's pages self-turned. 

With the decoy set up, Harry launched into phase two of his plan. The smaller parcel contained a bone-carved key. Its little handle was shaped like a skull. Harry supposed it was a pun on it being a skeleton key. Harry threw open his trunk and removed the invisibility cloak and his Firebolt. 

Harry carefully wrapped the cloak around himself until he was completely invisible. With the Firebolt tucked beneath one arm, and the key tightly grasped in his free hand, Harry knew it was time for a sojourn. The door to his room had a latch with a curved door handle and a small keyhole. Unsure of how to use the key, Harry nervously pushed the skeleton key into the keyhole. He had carefully planned his sojourn such that he wouldn't have to use his wand and break the underage laws that prohibited him from using magic during holidays. 

The blank eye sockets in the skull handle of the key glowed. There was a soft click, and Harry pulled the key out. He tried the doorknob. It twisted easily and the door opened quietly. Harry crept out of his bedroom and down the hallway to the stairs. A single light shone in the entire house, and that was from the telly Dudley was mesmerized with. He was too engrossed with his new X-box gaming console to realize that Harry quietly sneaked down the stairs and then out the door. 

Harry smiled and threw his arms wide to bask in the golden sunshine. He inhaled deeply, drawing the cool, fresh air into his lungs. With the call of freedom ringing clear in his mind, he secured the Invisible Cloak around his body, mounted the Firebolt, and kicked off into the air. 


	3. Chapter3: The Sojourn

**Chapter 3**

  The wind ruffled through his hair as he flew over Privet drive. Harry felt nearly overwhelmed with the sense of elatedness that comes with the heady rush of freedom. _Ah! This is the life! No annoying Malfoys, no annoying reporters and most importantly-no Dursleys! _After flying a few quick laps over the area, Harry felt it was time to put the third phase of his plan into action.

  The only problem was he hadn't exactly decided on what it should be. 

  Well, really the first thing Harry needed to do was take care of his finances. It was difficult to do anything without money, which meant a visit to Gringotts and its goblins. Harry made sure his invisible cloak was wrapped tightly around himself and his broom. If Muggles didn't take too well to seeing a flying car, then they certainly wouldn't care to see a person on a flying broom. 

  Harry leaned forward on the broom and zoomed across the housing district. The wind whipped his face and tears stung in his eyes, but Harry welcomed it as a fresh change over being cooped up in his bedroom with only Hedwig for company. The time flew past him as quickly as he flew himself. Harry had not noticed any sort of passing length of time when he finally reached the Leaky Cauldron. 

  Still wearing his invisibility cloak, Harry made his way through the wizarding pub and entered Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley seemed a bit empty because of the absence of the regular hustle-bustle created by eager students returning from a Holiday or months at school. Maybe it was because most of the times he had been there was when students flocked to Diagon Alley.

  Diagon Alley seemed very different from what Harry was used to. It seemed so much more spacious and so much more orderly. It was amazing how a bunch of school kids could make even the most orderly of places look unruly. 

  Harry pulled his cloak off, tucked it into the knapsack he had strapped to the broom's handle, rested the broom against his shoulder, and trudged towards Gringotts. Harry made sure that his hair covered his scar. The few people he passed barely glanced at him.

  Without the bustle of people to surround the area, the wizarding bank seemed ominous to Harry. The imposing stone structure and huge iron gates seemed ancient and foreboding. This was not the first time Harry had been to Gringotts by himself, but he felt awkward and vulnerable next to the bank. 

  Harry mentally chided himself as he entered Gringotts. There was no reason to feel so vulnerable. Harry rather suspected the only other place in the entire Wizarding world that was as safe as Hogwarts was Gringotts, if only because he had an account here. From what he could remember of Professor Binn's lectures (when he wasn't sleeping through them), goblins were nasty little creatures to take on in a fight, and Voldemort never attacked them in his last reign of terror. 

  Harry walked over to one of the counters and looked over the edge at the goblin.   

  The goblin leaned forward and looked at Harry down the length of his substantially long nos. "May I help you?" he said in a voice that could have meant the goblin had plans to do otherwise. 

  "Yes," Harry said softly. "I--I wish to operate my vault." Harry pulled his key out of his pocket and set it on the counter surface. He hesitated a moment, recalling the various reports of himself in the Daily Prophet. "I'm H. Potter," he said finally. The goblin said nothing in reply as he picked up the key. Harry sighed in relief. It was nice to know the only thing goblins cared about him was that he had a key to a bank vault. At least some people didn't care about him as being the savior of the world. 

  The goblin grunted something, possibly in gooblegook, and another goblin walked over to him, almost the same size and make as the first goblin. The two of then could have been twins. It's difficult to tell with goblins. Harry had always thought they all looked the same. One probably needed to live among them for some time to really learn the peculiarities of mannerisms that was the prime reason behind individualism. 

  The second goblin escorted Harry to his vault without asking Harry for its number. It was amazing how the goblin could remember Harry's particular vault from the thousands of vaults at the Bank. Harry made a mental note to remember this aspect about the amazing memories of goblins. He had read in history _(or maybe he had heard it from Professor Binns when he wasn't asleep, or was it something Hermione had mentioned at one time?) _about how goblins remembered ancestral feuds and if any descendent of one of their ancestral enemies were to cross paths, revenge was paid back--with interest.  

  Harry made a mental note to never, ever try to cheat the goblins in any way. 

  Harry was unsure of how much his supplies would cost, so he grabbed a several handfuls of galleons and sickles, and stuffed them into a little string bag. He drew the drawstring tight, and then looped it over his head. The heavy bag of coins rested over his sternum and made a noticeable lump, but Harry did not care. In some ways, the weight was a comforting reminder that this was his; the Dursleys could not take it from him, and even these finances his parents left were another form of freedom altogether. 

  Harry's first stop was at Flourish and Botts. Hermione's domain that it was, Harry needed information that he would not be able to obtain from her. He walked around the stacked rows and shelves of books. Some were fresh and crisp while others were musty and old. Glances at their titles and summery on the back or the inside of the book jacket were quick to inform Harry that a lot of the books were books with content that ranged from funny and lighthearted, to bold and daring. 

  He was not the only person in the bookstore, because there certainly had to be the clerk somewhere, and a male customer roamed the bookshelves as well. Harry glanced nervously at the man, who was very tall at 6'3", and had shoulder-length black hair that disappeared behind the collar of his dark, long coat.  Once again, Harry felt too aware of being vulnerable. He ducked into a dark corner and pulled his invisibility cloak out of his knapsack. He propped his broom against the edge of a shelf, out of sight from anyone who would pass through the area. He would come back to it later, but it was difficult to move unhindered through the bookshelves with the broom tucked closely at his side. 

  Now comfortable with the knowledge that no one could see him, Harry moved quietly through the bookshelves, once more searching for the information. He was not careful of paying attention to his surroundings, so when he stepped around the corner of one particularly large stack of books, he nearly ran into the man he saw earlier. Harry jumped back and bumped against a shelf. It rocked slightly and Harry clapped a hand over his mouth to force himself silent. The man stared sharply down the aisle Harry stood in, took a step forward, and craned his neck to peer over the top of the shelves and stacks of books. 

  The man had a clean-shaven face, deep black eyes, and a scar that ran from his left cheek top his chin. The scar gave the man a somewhat sinister look, but there didn't seem to be any hint of danger in the man's stance or eyes.  After a moment of glancing around, the man shrugged and stepped away. 

  Harry remained still. He watched the man thoughtfully nibbled the inside of his bottom lip before purposefully turning and strolling down the length of the aisle directly across from Harry. At the end of the aisle was a small stack of musty, old books. The man picked up a book with a red cover off the top of the stack. The man opened the book, and touched the very center of the pages with his wand. Immediately, steps emerging into the ground appeared before him. Without a glance around, the man snapped the book shut, placed it back on the stack, and hurried down the stairs.  

  Curious of what could lay beneath Flourish and Botts, Harry hesitated only a moment before darting after the man and down the stairs before they disappeared. Secure and safe in the cloak, Harry felt no danger as he looked around the room, which was identical to the one upstairs. 

  While the man disappeared around a row of bookshelves in search of something, Harry went in the other direction to look at the books. While the room was identical to the one upstairs in looks, the content was very much different. 

_  The Salazaar Slytherin book of Snake Spells.  Spying Spells IV. The Secret book of Dark Sacrifices. How to become an Animagus: do you have it in you?_

  Realization of where Harry was struck him like a bolt of lightening. This is the secret restricted section of Flourish and Botts! Harry looked around himself with renewed interest. He silently went after the man he followed. The man was standing where the light was best from a dim lantern that hung from the ceiling. He held a book face-level and squinted at its words in the poor light. His sleeves feel backward to reveal the back of his wrists. On the man's left wrist was a superbly detailed tattoo of a coiled black cobra.  Harry took a step back_. That's got to be a surefire sign of a Slytherin or the dark arts,_ he thought. 

  The man shook his head and placed the book on the shelf.

  Harry shrugged the matter off. The man was searching for a text, that much was clear. Harry wandered down the aisle in search of his own reading material. For all the books of different subjects and material, Harry felt himself drawn to a single point in a shelf off to his right. The book's cover was gray. Sparkling gold letters splayed down the length of its spine, proudly proclaiming, _The Complete Book of Ancient Indian Magic- by Mrityanjaya Shastri._ There was an odd sort of magnetism about the book that attracted Harry. He carefully reached out and traced a fingertip over the spine. A spark of electricity seemed to leap from the book and into his finger. Harry jumped back and clasped his other hand over the arm. The spark ran down the length of his forearm and stopped at the amulet Harry wore. The metal momentarily felt as if it writhed in delight from the contact. 

  Harry backed away from the book, his hand still clasped around his arm. He stared at the book in wonder, and knew that he had to get it. He reached over to grab the book and froze as the sound of footsteps came to him. He twisted to see the man coming to him, and scrambled out of his path. 

  To Harry's dismay, the man stopped before the book of Indian Magic and grabbed it off the bookshelf. The man stared intently at the title, opened the book, and flipped through several of its pages. With a sigh of relief, he slipped it into a cloak pocket, and then walked to another pile of books. 

  Harry grabbed the first book he saw--_101 Charms for Improving Your Kissing_ by Cassidy Kasanova--and crept after the man. On top of one of the shelves was a disarray of various books. The man paused to glance over them, and picked one of the books up. With his attention centered upon the book. Harry carefully reached into the man's pocket and slowly pulled out book of Indian Magic from it. His heart pounded fiercely and he held his breath to steady his shaky hands. There was a great risk involved with this; Harry didn't think the man would take to being pick-pocketed all that kindly. But the man hadn't bought the book yet, so Harry reasoned that he technically wasn't stealing _anything_.   He replaced the book of Indian Magic with the book on kissing, and silently backed away from the man. 

  The man did not notice what just took place. He gently tossed back the book he was looking at and walked down the length of one of the aisles to a stack of musty books. This stack looked exactly like the stack of books the man had taken the red-covered book off and used to open the passage to this room. Sure enough, the man picked up a book identical to the red-covered book from earlier, opened it, and tapped his wand against the pages. 

  A flight of stairs appeared before him, heading upward into the floor of the room above. Harry shook his head at how he would never understand Wizarding architecture. He retraced his steps back to a book he noticed earlier. _How to become an Animagus: do you have it in you?_

  With both books firmly in his grasp, Harry echoed the man's movements in opening the flight of stairs. Harry nervously emerged into the top floor of the store, hoping nobody saw the stairs opened without anyone coming up them.

  Luck seemed to favor him. No one was around when the stairway disappeared behind him. Harry walked back to the corner where his Firebolt was lodged. There, he pulled it and propped it against his shoulder. He walked back to the main aisle, glanced around, and walked down its length as he walked over to the counter to pay for the books. He stopped next to a stack of books when he saw the man from earlier standing there. The man's face burned a bright red as he stared down at the book of kissing Harry had given him as the clerk cheerfully wrapped it in crinkly tan paper.  

  The door to Florish and Botts swung open. Harry stumbled back a step as Lucius Malfoy entered the store. The man glanced sharply at Lucius, threw some coins on the table, and grabbed the book out of the clerk's hand before it was even finished being wrapped. The man ducked his head low and hurried out of the store, avoiding Malfoy's eyes the entire time.  

  Lucius Malfoy glanced over his shoulder after the man, his upper lip drawn back in a sneer. With a toss of his head, Lucius headed directly to Harry. Panic filled Harry with a rush. He stumbled out of the way and froze as Lucius paused beside the stack of books Harry crouched next to. Harry held his breath and pressed a hand against his trembling mouth. After a moment, Lucius walked away. Harry carefully glanced around the stack of books in time to see Lucius' blond head bob over to where the red-covered book that led to the restricted section was located. 

  Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Harry kept his cloak on as he inched over to the clerk, who was stacking books next to the counter.

  "Excuse me," Harry said softly. The clerk jumped and dropped the armful of books he held. He whipped about and glanced around.

  "Wh-who's there?" the clerk demanded.

  "Me," said Harry helpfully. He tried to make his voice lower and quieter, so the clerk would not rightly suspect Harry was still a student. Harry didn't think he would be able to buy the books otherwise. 

  The clerk scratched his head. "Who?"

  "Well, I'm invisible at the moment," said Harry. "Because Mister Malfoy's here, and I don't want him to see me."

  The clerk sighed and nodded. "Yes. He's that sort of man. I understand." He squinted in the direction from where Harry's voice came from. "May I help you?" he asked. 

  "I want to buy these two books." Harry's hand emerged from the depths of the cloak and carefully set the books down. The clerk coughed and hurried around the counter. He picked up the books and glanced through their titles. He opened the covers and glanced at the left corner, where the prices were written in neat numbers. 

  "This is a good selection," the clerk said as he wrote the numbers down and added them for the total. He squinted at Harry's direction. "That will be seventeen galleons."

  Harry winced at the price, but he did not complain as he carefully opened the purse, which still hung from his neck, and carefully withdrew the coins he needed. He tossed the money onto the table. It clinked as it landed. The clerk nodded and began to pick the coins up. "Would you like the books wrapped?" he asked politely.

  Harry shook his head no, and then realized the clerk couldn't see him. "No," he said. He reached out and picked the books up. "Thank you," he said as he gently placed them into the knapsack. He quickly left Flourish and Botts. After a quick duck into a near-by alley, Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off. He glanced carefully around and hoped Lucius would be staying in the forbidden section of books for a long time to come. 

  Before he returned to 4 Privet Drive, he bought a bag of food (there were a few small sacks of dried fruit, but the majority of the food was really just sweets), and some new robes, which he had trouble stuffing into his knapsack since the bag of food took up most of the room. He stopped and glanced at the brooming equipment, including the latest broom to storm the magical market-the Whirlwind 1. Harry, satisfied with his Firebolt, had a feeling that he was going to be seeing the Slytherin Quidditch team supplied with this new broom. 

  Weighed down with his heavy knapsack, Harry made slow progress back home. The sun was just setting, and he hoped everything was all right, and that his day's actions did not land him into trouble.


	4. Chapter 4 An Orderly Meeting

**Chapter Four**

  Dudley Dursley resented the task he had been given. He was supposed to give Harry his dinner, which he supposed he despised and liked at the same time, given the very nature of the work. He resented his parents telling him to do anything, because he was a big boy who didn't have to be bossed around. He also despised work of any sort, as work often required the effort of moving his bulk across the house. He was happiest when his big bottom was planted firmly before the telly he played his playstation on. 

  On the other hand, most of this was easily outweighed with the favor of tormenting Harry. In some ways, Dudley supposed he missed Harry whenever he was off at that school for freaks and rejects of society (those weirdoes with the red hair who always kept popping up to take Harry away were definitely rejects of society, Dudley was absolutely positive of that). But the only reason Dudley could possibly think of why he missed Harry was because, admittedly, Dudley couldn't find anyone else whom he could thrash but wasn't allowed to fight back. 

  With these oh-so very generous thoughts firmly in his mind, Dudley unlocked Harry's bedroom door and pushed it open hard enough to slam against its hinges. And who said Dudley's being big boned was ridiculous? If he were a skinny nerd like Harry, he wouldn't be able to push so hard against things. 

  "Here's your food, Harry," Dudley said in what he thought to be a superior voice. He threw down the plate of rice and chicken on the floor. Most of the food was gone because he was hungry and Mum still had him on the diet. She said he needed "lean proteins" and "complex carbs," whatever that was. As far as Dudley was concerned, food was food, and Harry didn't need nearly as much him. After all, Dudley was still a growing boy (even if most people suspected the growing was sideways), and he needed to keep his strength up and all to do things like push heavily against doors. Thankfully, Mum gave him the good stuff--grease and sugar--every now and then, because Dudley had whined of how if he only had a _little_ bit now and then, he wouldn't be so inclined to cheat so often. 

  Harry slowly looked up from the book he was reading. Dudley glanced quickly at the title and was chilled when he read, _1001 Blasting Curses_. He shivered, and then pretended he wasn't scared of Harry at all. Harry glanced at the plate of food, and immediately went back to reading. Dudley felt his face burn when he realized that Harry was ignoring him. 

  "What are you even reading?" Dudley demanded loudly as he waded into the room. "You aren't allowed to do that mumbo-jumbo in this house." Harry continued to ignore him.  "I'm going to tell Dad!" Harry continued to ignore him, and Dudley felt the urge to thump Harry. He took a step forward to snatch the book of out Harry's hands, and that caught Harry's attention.

  Harry slowly turned to stare at Dudley. His green eyes looked rather blank, but Dudley's attention was distracted by Harry's calmly raising his wand to point it at Dudley. "You--You can't do that!" Dudley squeaked and jumped backwards as Harry, still slowly and calmly, stood up. Harry's wand emitted a few sparks, and Dudley turned tail and ran out of the room as quickly as he could, his hands planted firmly across his backside to protect it from any spells Harry was going to throw at him. 

  It was quite dark by the time Harry reached Privet Drive. He hadn't suspected that his heavy knapsack would slow him down _that_ much, but the awkward weight of the knapsack on his back upset his balance and he didn't want to fly at neck-breaking speeds. 

  The lights were on in the house, and Uncle Vernon's old Ford was parked in the driveway. Harry winced and tried to quell the quick rising of panic inside of him. He hoped desperately that the dummy had maintained its role. 

  Harry used his skeleton key to open the back door, and he entered the house into the kitchen. Just as he entered , he heard a deafening, gargled scream and then a resounding crash. In his haste to scramble quickly down the stairs, Dudley had tripped and tumbled down the steps to crash into Aunt Petunia's favorite crystal vase at the base of the stairs. 

  Dudley managed to focus his eyes at his parents as they loomed above him. "He-he attacked me with his wand!" Dudley was stuttering close to tears as he pointed a thick finger up the stairs. Harry, still wrapped in his invisibility cloak, peered around the corner of the kitchen to the base of the stairs where Dudley lay flat on his back.

  Uncle Vernon growled lowly. "That kid's a liability. Always was, but I'll not keep him in this house for long," he muttered darkly. "Why the hell did we even take him in the first place?" It was a rhetorical question, but Aunt Petunia answered it anyway.

  "Because Lily put the house in the brat's name," she said with a twisted, sour expression. "I wouldn't have tolerated him in the first place if Mother hadn't granted all her property to the family freak."

  Harry made a fist and bit his knuckles as red-hot anger flashed through him. _How dare they . . ._

  Uncle Vernon was silent for a moment as he stared down at Dudley, and then he smiled menacingly. He bent over and helped Dudley to his feet. "We'll just have to think of some way to dispose of him quietly then." Aunt Petunia gasped in shock. He gave her a warning look. "Do you want to be indebted to that boy for the rest of his life?" he asked. "Actually, we are, but we can shorten that debt rather, ah, _drastically_." She pressed her thin lips together, and then shook her head. Uncle Vernon nodded his head. "I thought so. Come. I know what I'm going to do when the right opportunity comes along." The three relatives walked away from the stairs, into the family room. Harry tightened his grip on his knapsack and broom, and made his way up the stairs.

  Once his initial anger wore off, the knowledge that his relatives hated him--hated him and wanted to kill him like Voldemort--sent Harry's thoughts awhirl. Wasn't it enough that he already had the most powerful dark lord currently in existence after his hide without his family--albeit certainly a family that had never really been a family to Harry, but _still_!--trying to kill him as well?

  Harry entered his room and set his knapsack down in the corner. After deflating the dummy, he curled up in the darkest corner of the room to brood. His thoughts kept returning to the conversation between the Dursleys, and though his chest hurt and he felt betrayed, Harry mulled over the thoughts. In some ways, it explained why the Dursleys had stayed with him for so long, and that hurt the most. In some deep, dark corner of his heart, Harry secretly hoped that perhaps the Dursleys, if for nothing else, felt sorry for Harry's loss of family and had decided to take him in because blood was thicker than water. 

  But, no, that wasn't it. Harry was the owner of the property. They hadn't had a choice of sending him away to a foster home. Harry wasn't a person to them. He was just a name on the piece of paper that said his house was his. Harry was a _thing_ to be used and disposed of. 

  Tears welled up in his eyes and fell down his face. A true family that loved and cared for you wouldn't do "dispose" of you. The Dursleys obviously didn't think of him as family. No one did, with the exception of the Weasleys, and maybe even Hermione. 

  If nothing else, Voldemort didn't think Harry was a thing. Oh, Harry most certainly needed to be destroyed because he was a living reminder of Voldemort's vulnerability, but even Voldemort thought and knew Harry to be a person. That was what made Voldemort's revenge so personal. 

  For a single dark moment, Harry hoped fervently that Voldemort would try attacking 4 Privet Drive, if only to kill the Dursleys.  The quick, burning need for revenge swiftly followed the thought before rationale finally set in. 

  The Dursleys, no matter how bad or how awful they were, were still human. 

  Still, that didn't excuse them for anything! 

  Dumbledore would know what to do. Harry had a fair idea that Dumbledore would not be very happy with the Dursleys in the least, and could probably come up with a more appropriate course of action that slaughtering them like animals, as Voldemort would surely do. Harry stalked over to his bed, yanked a sheet of paper free from a notebook, and hastily scribbled his letter to Dumbledore on it. 

_  Dear Professor Dumbledore:_

_  I don't want to seem troublesome, but I feel there are some things going on here that you should know. The Dursleys are such wretched persons!_

  Harry poured his heart out on the paper, outlining the conversation he had overheard.  His frustration were scattered among the words, along with his worries, the dream he had of Voldemort, and how his scar hurt. He carefully left out all notice of how he had even left the house for the day. Harry finished the letter with a plea to meet with Dumbledore at some time. 

  _And I hope that Snuffles, Hagrid, and everyone else is all right. _

_  Yours Truly,_

_  Harry J. Potter._

  Professor Albus Dumblore paced about in his circular room. It was easy to pace in a room like this. It was so round and even, but pacing too long often resulted in dizziness. The wind that blew in through the open window ruffled his flowing white beard. Pacing was often a good sign of worry, and Dumbledore was a worried man.

  The reports the spies of the Order were, in a word, worrying. After a few moments more of pacing, Dumbledore sat at his desk before dizziness set in. He dipped some of his thoughts in the swirling pensieve and watched the silver liquid. He sighed and stirred it with the tip of his wand. 

  Hedwig came flapping in through the open window and dropped Harry's letter on the table beside Dumbledore. With a small hoot, she perched herself besides Fawkes the phoenix, who did not seem affronted in the least by an owl's company. 

  Dumbledore opened the letter and read it. He sat for a moment in silence as he stared at the letter with no small amount of horror. He jumped to his feet much quicker then anyone his age should be capable of doing, and hurried over to his fireplace. He pointed his wand at the fireplace and lit it without a single wave and word. Immediately he summoned Severus Snape.

  Snape's head bobbed in the flames, his dark eyes brooding and his face puffy from sleep. "What ever it is, I doubt very much it's going to wait until morning if you insist upon dragging me from my beauty sleep this early."

  As serious as Harry's letter had been, Dumbledore still managed to summon a smile. "My dear boy," he said buoyantly, "both of us are well past the point where beauty sleep is going to make a difference."

  Snape gave him a look that would have set ice on fire, but he rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Very well; what is it?" 

  Somewhere in the main hall, the grandfather clock rang 3 'o clock. 

  Dumbledore's voice became firm and clear with authority.  "This is very urgent. Call a meeting of the members of the Order. Have all of them come to the room. I wish to speak with all of you on an important matter." 

  Snape nodded his head tersely, and then withdrew from the fire. 

  His robe billowing behind him, Severus Snape entered Dumbledore's office. "What's the matter?" he asked immediately upon entering the room. Snape straightened his back ramrod stiff and refused to sit when offered a chair. Dumbledore looked at him over the rim of his glasses. 

  "Matters, Severus," he said. "But before I speak to the other members of the Order, I wish to know something from you. Do you have any news of Voldemort's plans? I have been getting reports of something big being afoot. There are whispered everywhere that he is becoming more powerful than before. The random Muggle killings are spaced too apart. I know Voldemort well, and he was never one to sit idle. It reminds me of the lull before the storm." 

  Snape's lips pressed tightly together as he stared at the corner of the room. He shifted his weight from one foot to another. "After the Order was called back," he said carefully, "I went back and paid my allegiance to Voldemort, as I'd been bidden to. Voldemort seemed quite averse to accepting my excuses, so I'm no longer part of the inner circle now. He does not discuss plans with low lackies such as myself. However, from what I gathered from other Death Eaters--most who are higher up and I still have connections with--the rumors appear to be correct. Voldemort has been away often, an each time he returns his dark power seems to have increased. There are new Death eaters, but their identities are kept secret." 

  Snape gathered folds of his back robes into handfuls and took several steps closer to where Dumbledore was seated in a large, ornately carved wooden chair. He dropped the robes and folded his hands before his sternum. His shoulders drooped wearily. "I have been told to recruit fresh Death Eaters from the students in Hogwarts. I am to sacrifice them as token of my allegiance to Voldemort." Snape rubbed his eyes. "They are my ticket into the inner circle," he said in a low whisper. 

  Dumbledore wilted in his fluffy blue bathrobe. "I see," he said sadly. He closed his eyes and dropped his chin onto his chest. After a few minutes of silence, where Snape spent his time wondering if he should shake Dumbledore to see if he were asleep, Dumbledore opened his eyes and stood up. "When is the meeting?" he asked cheerfully, as if nothing of the pervious discussion affected him. 

  Snape withdrew a pocket watch and glanced at its face. "Within a quarter-hour," he said. "I had to give the members some time to get ready." He snorted. "I'm sure we'll all be grateful they'll show up in something presentable. I suspect some of them sleep on the nude." He muttered something about how people did not have the courtesy to look decent when answering calls in the middle of the night. 

  Dumbledore waved his hand and a picture of one of the school's former headmasters disappeared to reveal a doorway. He and Snape entered the room. Standing at its threshold, Dumbledore waved again, and a long table surrounded by chairs appeared. He gathered up the hem of his bathrobe and walked over to the head of the table. Snape took a seat on the opposite side of Dumbledore, several seats to the headmaster's left. 

  On by one, ghost-like forms shimmered into existence at individual seats. They were transparent and as much substance as a ghost of wind, but their presence was solid. A few forms nodded their heads in greeting to one another. Remus Lupin and Sirius were two of them, and they were too bright and cheerful for such an unpleasantly early hour. Rubeus Hagrid rubbed his eyes tiredly and tightened his grip on the gigantic blanket wrapped around his body. Mr Ollivander, with a nightcap on his white hair and still wearing his nightgown, was sipping a ghostly cup of coffee. Also present among people Snape and Dumbledore were familiar with was a ghastly-pale vampire with wispy blonde hair named Vallitus, a balding dwarf named Durkworth whose skin looked at rough as leather, an Elf with amber-colored eyes and silvery-blonde hair whose name was Fleetfoot, and two men who wore pure white robes. These two men, of average height and similar lean builds, were indistinguishable as their hoods were drawn over their heads and threw deep shadows over their face. 

  Fawkes fluttered into the room and perched on the shoulder of Dumbledore. Dumbledore scratched the top of the phoenix's head as he glanced over his visitors. "Fellow members of the Order," he said solemnly, "you all know I would not have called you here if it were not for some changes that must force us to postpone some of our plans, and drastically change others. There are reports that Voldemort is getting more powerful, and there seems to be some unknown activity afoot that we need to give careful consideration to. However, the most important subject is Harry.

  "I have just within this hour received a letter from Harry that only seem to confirm suspicions of the previously mentioned activity. What makes this sudden meeting so urgent is Harry has learned that he owns 4 privet Drive, and the Dursleys are adopting threatening positions to rectify that. We must make a decision on a course of action for this as soon as possible. 

  "In other news, Fudge is still helpless, hopeless, and useless; he still refuses to acknowledge Voldemort, and his actions only tend to distract and trouble us. In other words, nothing has changed. While we are all here, I would like to know the status with everyone else." He looked over his half-moon glasses at the others. 

  Hagrid stood up first. "The giants 'ave agreed to 'elp," he said. "All of this is thanks to the efforts of Fridwulfa and Madame Maxime. But they want a Giant Kingdom on the outskirts of France next to the Elf's Kingdom. The giants, that is." 

  Dumbledore tapped one finger against the table's surface. "Hmmm. That may be arranged. I'll have to speak to Minister Delcour first." 

  As Hagrid sat down, Fleetfoot stood up. "The Elves, warriors of the light, also stand with you, Grandmaster. However, we do wish something be done for the safety of our kingdom against the dark forces." 

  Dumbledore scratched his chin. "Did you have anything in mind?" 

  Fleetfoot spread his hands wide in a deferential motion. "I am merely a messenger. Someone who has the ability to make decisions will speak to you." 

  Dumbledore nodded. Fleetfoot sat down, and Duckworth moved. He stood up, but the chair he had sat down was low enough to show little difference in his height between sitting and standing. "The Dwarves are also with you," he said in the loud, gruff voice common of the Dwarves. "But there are some of us who cannot be trusted. Spies who penetrated our ranks, and the dark lord is giving us jewels, metals, and other riches of the underworld." He rubbed his mouth through his bread. "The majority of us shall back the Order," he finished before he sat down. 

  Dumbledore nodded. 

  "Alas!" said Vallitus with a smooth flourish. He remained seated instead of standing as the others had. "The same cannot be said for we vampires. Like werewolves, we are natural allies of the Dark, and many of the youngest--those who have only seen fifty years of less--have changed sides because they have not yet gained control and perception of their own personal darkness. But we who are older and well remember the treachery of Grindlewald and then Voldemort, shall always support the Order." 

  "Like the werewolves?" Dumbledore turned to Lupin for clarification of this. Lupin shrugged helplessly. Because the full moon had just been two days ago, he looked ragged and harassed, but there was a bright spark of energy in his eyes and he did not droop tiredly. 

  "Werewolves are solitary creatures--as a rule, werewolves don't like fellow werewolves, but I still managed to talk little more than two dozen into our cause who we know for sure won't change their minds." 

  Sirius, without being called upon, jumped in next. "I contacted as much as some of the old group as possible. Some were dead, some--well, okay, lots--I rather suspected would've readily send me back to Azkaban." Here, Sirius shot a quick glare at the direction of Snape. "Some of those believe Fudge, so they're a last resort. I've gotten Mad-Eye Moody to recruit some of the new Aurors for our cause." 

  "Any news from the Ministry, Mister Croaker?" Dumbledore asked.

  "Fudge has sent the spies on the wild goose chase for finding robbers. He dismisses any suggestions or reports of dark activity. There are also signs he is wasting ministry money on personal whims; he intends to build a monument commemorating his five years in office," Croaker replied. 

  "Ah. Is there anything anyone wishes to add?" Dumbledore looked about expectedly, but no one spoke up. "Very well. We will have to postpone our plans. Harry's training will also have to commence in the summer itself." He turned to the men in which robes who had remained silent all through the conference. 

  The man bobbed. "Jadushala awaits his arrival," he said, his voice like a faint, whispery echo. "Harry Potter will be taught our secrets in the course of realizing his potential and harnessing his energy." 

  Dumbledore nodded his head. He stood up and placed his hands, palm flat, on the table. "We need new recruits. For the Order to fight the dark lord on equal terms, we must recruit the youth. Voldemort is trying to do the same, so we must snatch up those persons before he can get to them. Unless something else arises, we shall meet in a month's time."

  One by one, the ghost-like shadows. Some went silently, such as the men in white and the Elf and the Vampire, but the Dwarf and Dumbledore's former students bade him a good evening. 

  Far away, in 4 Privet Drive, Harry Potter was completely unaware of how a group of Europe's strongest magic-wielders was discussing his fate and future. At the moment, he was engrossed in his own work. _How to Become an Animagus: Do you have it in you?_ lay open before him as he tried to decipher his ability to transform into an animal. 


	5. Chapter 5: An explosion

**JaDuShala**

Disclamer: All the denizens of the Wizarding World, except a few created by me ,are the property of JK Rowling and her publishers, though she can if she so wishes, copy my characters too. (I am feeling particularly generous today!)

Chapter 5: An Explosion

**Gilderoy Lockhart catches Triwizard Cup Troublemakers**

Daily Prophet special correspondent Gilderoy Lockhart has claimed to have caught the Triwizard Cup troublemakers, We interviewed him on his amazing feat, the following are a few excerpts from his interview:

SR: How did you manage to single handedly catch the offenders when the ministry has been unable to do so with so many resources at hand?

GL: Oh! This nothing compared to what I did in Sub Saharan Africa I caught a whole gang of dacoits single handedly, It is my super spying skills that helped me track down these offenders, I found them discussing their exploits at the tournament, you will read all about it in my coming book ' My Masterful Adventures'. 

SR: Is it true that in the ensuing battle between you band the offenders, you hit them with a curse so powerful that they have lost most of their memory.

GL: Yes unfortunately they provoked the great Lockhart and they had to pay the price. Infact I can tell you of another such instance when............

Harry put down the paper, fed up, he now had a renewed respect for Rita Skeeter, who had completely disappeared after Hermione caught her in the hospital wing, he must ask hermione, about what she did with her in the next letter.

Just then something zoomed into his room, hit him in his stomach, it was Ron's irrepressible Owl Pig. Harry managed to catch hold of the fluttering owl and remove the letter tied to his leg.

Dear Harry,

I have news, Fred and George seemed to have improved greatly after last year, they bought me Brand New Robes, that ought to wipe that sneer of Malfoy's face. God knows from where they got all the money but they are talking of buying a shop in Hogsmede and starting a business, Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Mother is appalled by the Idea, she wants them to work for the ministry.

They want you to put in a word for them. by the way how's everything with the dursley, I hope you are not having any dreams. Father talked with Dumbledore to allow you to come to our place for the rest of the holidays but he refused. I have decided to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year, there are a lot of vacancies to be created this year, I am practicing really hard at home Ginny & the Twins are helping me out. (told ya they seemed to have changed). Any news from Hermione, I hope she sees through that Krum and doesn't go to Bulgaria, 

I gotta Hurry harry it is quidditch time!

Write soon

Ron 

Harry felt nostalgic at the thought of Quidditch, Ron's letter seemed full of merriment, "If only I had someone to confide in, he thought of his parents who had died to save him, of Sirius, but he was still on the run from the aurors, of Cho Chang, Cedric death seemed to have stolen her from him, his dreams of impressing her by becoming Triwizard Champion had been destroyed by a cruel twist of fate. he understood now how Ginny must have felt when she confided her innermost thoughts into Tom Riddle's Diary. 'Ginny' oddly he started thinking about her, the younger Weasley had been shy and remained in the shadows of her big brothers, to be forgotten in the big family that the Weasleys was. She did look beautiful, Flame hair, pale face, ruby lips.. he shook of the thoughts 'Ron will kill me'

He wrote a letter to Ron telling him of the incident at Flourish & Blotts conveniently omitting the other book he had taken. and sent it off with pig, who had been fluttering around the room in big circles.

Harry went back to the other book he had bought that day, the book had said that not everybody can become an Animagus, it is an inherent trait the similarity of a persons nature and mannerisms to a particular animal. It took a very powerful wizard to bring that animal out into the physical being. An Animagus is an expert at transfigurations, because it is in itself the most advanced kind of transfiguration. It is a wandless kind of magic but before trying to transform into a particular animal it is important to understand oneself. Harry sat reading the book, brooding and munching on some Every Flavour Beans, which he had picked up on the way home from Diagon Alley, when Hedwig flew in with Dumbledores letter..

Dear Harry,

I hope everything there is alright. I would like to know what you remember of the dream you wrote to me about, has there been any other dream concerning Voldermort? I want you to try to remember every small detail you can. you cannot imagine the amount of importance this carries in the fight against the dark lord. Many lives depend upon it.

I think the time has come for you to know the truth about why I made you stay with the Dursleys inspite of the fact that they are so mean to you. The ownership of 4 Privet Drive passed from Samantha Evans to Lily Evans and from her to you. You know that you survived the attack by Lord Voldermort that fateful night because of the sacrifice of your mother, it had hence become important for us to protect you from attack by death eaters, the Domiclus charm was used to create a powerful protection shield around your home, as the old house had been destroyed after that nights attack the charm took effect on 4 privet drive, it is perhaps the safest place in the universe after Hogwarts. No one can Apparate within a radius of 3 miles around it, there are dark magic repulsion wards around the house, and no one can forcibly enter and attack the house. 

Under the circumstances however it will more prudent for you to come back to Hogwarts, Arabella will be there to pick you up at 10' o clock.

Yours truly

Albus Dumbledore

Harry gave a sigh of relief, perhaps this summer, would not be that bad at all. A summer at Hogwarts is definitely preferable to the Dursleys, even with scowly Snape around. So old Mrs. Figg next door had after all been a witch. With spirits high Harry started packing his things, all the time humming a tune form a muggle song he had overheard when Dudley had kept his latest stereo on full volume. 

The Dursley's 'forgot' to send him lunch and he sat happily devouring the cakes Hermione had sent him during the summer. Nothing around him could suppress his cheerful mood today.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in writing a letter to Ron telling him of his impending visit to Hogwarts and assuring him that Hermione had declined Krum's offer to visit Bulgaria.

As the sun slid down fro the blue summer sky, the more his impatience grew, he checked and rechecked his luggage and when he done it a number of times, started pacing around within the confines of his small room, which meant every few paces he met a wall and had to turnaround and start all over again.

The clock struck 9'O clock when Vernon Dursley opened the door, Harry looked at him in eager anticipation, perhaps Mrs. Figg had decided to come a bit early. but his anticipation was short lived because Uncle Vernon had brought in Dinner, Harry was surprised to find the plate full of Bacon & ham and an assortments of breads, There was even a cake for desert. looking a the surprised expression at Harry's face Uncle Vernon smiled, Harry's eyes grew even wider,' had Uncle Vernon actually smiled at him..' 

"It is Petunia's birthday today" he said" hence we have a little feast at home " 

There was something in the way Uncle Vernon said those words that worried Harry though he couldn't put a finger on it. Tentatively he reached out and started eating.

"I have probably become paranoid" Harry thought when he had eaten the main course " he was feeling oddly well fed, Uncle Vernon entered around the corner

"Had your fill Harry" he said flashing a smile "but what is this you haven't taken the cake yet go on eat it, Petunia would be very unhappy if you don't eat the cake."

"Maybe my lucks changed for the better, a letter from Dumbledore inviting me to Hogwarts and now even Uncle Vernon is being so nice to me" he thought as he put the cake into his mouth "too nice infact" he thought. Suddenly things started to act as if in slow motion, Uncle Vernon's expression changed from his enigmatic smile to a sneer, an odd gleam of triumph was there in his eye when he looked at Harry, he laughed a cold cackling laughter, he said something, but it was as if his ears had gone deaf, he couldn't hear what, Uncle Vernon was saying. his heart was beating faster. his eyes started watering, and a strange feeling crept up from his stomach with his whole body erupting into convulsions, "p..poison" he said but no sound left his mouth, only blood spurted out of his mouth, flashes of his life swam past his eyes his mother dying to save him, Hagrid's arrival at Privet drive, his first sight of Hogwarts, The fight with the possessed Quirrel, and the shadow of young Tom Riddle, his last encounter with Voldermort, the sudden death of Cedric, the maniacal laughter of Lord Voldermort it seemed oddly similar to Uncle Vernon's cold laughter, Dudley & Aunt Petunia were standing behind him a smile playing on their lips.

At this point something odd started to happen, his arm started to throb with some energy of his own, It was the amulet, Sirius had Given him, the green eyes in the amulet were glowing powerfully, slowly the vibrations started to increase, and as they increased his convulsions started somehow diminishing , It was as if the vibrations were building up into a rhythm, his whole body began to throb with energy, a pure light seemed to have enveloped his body, it became almost blinding , then there was a huge explosion as if a dam had burst and waves of destruction were flowing out of it, Harry blacked out.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Arabela Figg was readying to go to the Dursleys, Harry would not have recognized her had he seen her the way she was now, 'So finally he knows about me', She did not have conventional good looks, but there was something in her which made her attractive to men, a casual observer would have put her age between 25 and 29 though she was well over thirty, dark black hair hung from her in wavy knots over a clear heart shaped face, 'on numerous occasions she had fought the impulse to tell Harry of her true identity and comfort him, save him from the horrible Dursleys, she waved a wand muttering a spell and her appearance started to change to how Harry knew Arabella Figg to be. An old woman left the house near four privet drive clad in a blouse, skirt and hat ensemble which would have been considered fashionable in the early seventies. she had just stepped on to the street in front of her house when an explosion shook the place, it was as if a whirlwind had struck four Privet drive, the house was blown into shreds from within and planks of wood, and bits of furniture flying into the houses around it with tremendous force, the existence of four privet drive was wiped out from the face of the earth, and everything in and around it was completely annihilated. She was the first person to reach the remains of the house, there lying motion less in the center of his room, his body ragged and lifeless, eyes shut, with blood oozing out of his scar was the 'the boy who lived'.

___________________________________________________________________


	6. Chapter 6: A New Scar and some developme...

**JaDuShala******

Disclaimer:  **J.K. Rowling, her publishers and Warner Bros. own Harry potter and other characters, this plot and some of my new characters are the result of my own fertile imagination.**

Chapter 6: A New Scar & some Developments

There was inky blackness around him, he tried to open his eyes but his vision was blurred and foggy and all he could see was a white light and blurred outlines of the objects around him. The normal human instinct took precedence and he tried to move his arm to rub his eyes and clear his vision, but somehow he couldn't move it, it seemed to have been tied to his bed, he tried to shout to call someone but the throat had been parched for so many days and he had been screaming in his sleep all the time, so that he managed to only give out a hoarse croak.

But that proved enough, 

"Oh, Harry, you are awake!, are you all right? "

"How can he be all right, he has blown apart a whole house.."

"Just Shut up Ron" Two voices said in unison

Harry's mind cleared there were only two persons in the whole wide world who would squabble like that in the hospital, Ron & Hermoine, but then whose was the other female voice.

Just then some one came up to him and poured some very hot spicy potion down his throat, (pepper up Potion) his vision cleared gradually, Madam Pomfrey was besides his bed fussing over him, muttering spells and charms and checking his condition as only a skilled Medi-wizard could.

Harry looked up, saw the expectant faces around him, and everything rushed back to him, Vernon Dursley's treachery, the way they sneered at him after poisoning him, the throbbing in his arm and then nothing. He felt at his arm but there was nothing there, the amulet seemed to have disappeared.

The other female voice was that of Ginny Weasley. Harry was surprised but glad that she was there. She just sat there looking at him with concern but didn't utter a word, no questions, no opinions like everybody else. She took him from what he was and this was what he always wanted, and besides she was a welcome distraction, Ginny seemed to have grown up a lot after the last he had seen her she was no longer the small giggling, nervous shy girl with a big time crush on him, she looked …..well….like a fabulously beautiful rose pure white and rosy red at the same time who held herself with the grace of a ballet dancer.

"Harry what happened, how did you blow the whole house apart" Ron's voice brought him out of his reverie.

"All in good time Ron, but first I have to see Prof. Dumbledore" Harry said " I have as many questions to ask him as you to me, I still don't understand large parts of it myself." 

"Don't worry mate, I will run down and get him in a jiffy" Ron patted him on his back and scampered off to find Dumbledore.

"How did I get here? How did you come to know of it Hermione?" Harry questioned.

"Only Dumbledore knows how you got here, but everybody knows that something big happened at privet drive. It is all over the papers both muggle and wizarding, the Wizards Wireless has been running hourly updates on the story." Hermione said" I asked Mr. Weasley to pick me up when he came here to see you and leave Ron & Ginny.

Prof. Albus Dumbledore came into the hospital wing accompanied by a black dog and Ron.

"Hello Professor, hi Snuffles" Harry said, Snuffles gave a short bark and licked at his hands

"Hello Harry, I Hope you are feeling alright, must say you got me quite worried this time" Prof. Dumbledore said smiling benignly, peering over his half moon spectacles "How did it happen Harry?"

"I don't think Professor I quite understand that myself, but I will tell you what I know, I had written to you about the conversation I overheard from the Dursleys a few days ago. I was hence a bit surprised when Uncle Vernon brought in the Tray of food, as it was my last day there anyway, nevertheless I ate the food, nothing happened after the main course, however as soon as I ate the cakes, I started choking, I think they were laced with poison. I don't remember much after that only that the convulsions were overbearing, and them something started to overcome them."

"Hmmm.., that all fits in, that explains why you were having convulsions when they brought you here, that's why we had to tie you up, the cakes were laced with cyanide and it is nothing but a miracle that you survived" Dumbledore eyes twinkled signifying he knew much more then he admitted.

"What happened to the others?" he questioned" What happened at Privet Drive?" "Who Brought me here?"

" I am not sure what exactly happened, but it looks as is you blew the whole house apart, no trace was found of the Dursleys, though we are still investigating, as far as who brought you here is concerned, you know the person but all that is best left for later, I just want you to relax and recover before we delve further into this matter." Dumbledore answered with a finality, suggesting the discussion was over, for now.

Harry spent the next few days in the hospital wing. There seemed to be a new development as far as Ron and Hermione was concerned, they seemed to have patched up and were using this windfall of the time together well, and used to slip off on their own in between whenever they got a chance. This also meant that Harry was getting to spend more and more time to spend with Ginny alone and he was relishing it. They talked more than they had in their whole lifetime put together, Harry was really discovering what an interesting person had been hidden behind that curtain of shyness all her life. It is said that the eyes are the mirror to the soul and can say more than what words describe. And Harry had been trying valiantly not to get lost in the deep black eyes of his best friend's sister.

'Could this be a beginning to something' Harry thought 'Could he get over Cho'; Cho Chang was the Ravenclaw seeker on whom Harry had a big time crush; 'was Ginny linked up with a Neville? After all she had gone to the ball with him' Harry was itching to ask this but something stopped him. It wouldn't be that simple, he knew Ron too well, Ron thought from his heart not from his head, he wouldn't take this too nicely.

It took a week before Harry was given leave by Madam Pomfrey to leave the hospital bed. It had been an interesting time, Snape had caught Ron and Hermione snogging in the astronomy tower and had given them both detentions of cleaning the potions dungeon, Harry had been getting along really well with Ginny, various conspiracy theories had emerged in the papers about the explosion at Privet Drive with the most dramatic one from Gilderoy Lockhart and amidst all the fracas Harry had discovered he had one more scar.

The new scar was on his arm where he had worn the amulet given by Sirius, it had the same pattern as the amulet, there were two eyes a single rune and five stars below it set right into his arm, it was more of a tattoo than a scar but it had burnt into the skin and it was reddish black in colour.  

Harry had kept this new scar secret from everybody and luckily it was on his arm, which meant that it was well covered and people wouldn't stare at it the way they usually stared at the other one. 

Harry was going to shift to a special room while the Weasleys and Hermione were leaving at the end of the week.

" Hey Harry, hope to see you soon mate, dunno why Prof. Dumbledore wont allow you to come to the Burrow. But don't you worry I will ask dad to speak to Prof. Dumbledore, maybe then he will allow you to come" Ron said, 

They were all sprawled about in the Gryffindor common room; Ron was playing chess with Hermione while Harry was pretending to read a book while he kept glancing at Ginny behind the cover of the book. Ginny was herself listening to the Wizard Wirless Network and she was nodding her head and swinging to the beat in a way which though oblivious to her, was making Harry stare at her.

"Hey Harry have you been listning to a word I have said" 

"aaa.. yes.. hmmm. No..sorry" Harry replied half embarrassed and half afraid that Ron had caught him.

"You did that on purpose" Hermione scolded as Ron lost a Chess match to her.

"Well, don't blame me playing with you is distracting" Ron said smirking.

Hermione blushed at this and gave Ron a special smile, which was just the signal Ron had been waiting for as he cuddled in next to her. 

Harry looked away, he still wasn't used to the obvious flirting two of his best friends indulged in. He got up and left the Dormitory. He needed some peace so that he could practice his Animagus transformations. He had been practicing at privet drive before the explosion but something had changed after coming to Hogwarts, he had found it relatively easy to perform most of the Advanced Transfiguration exercises that had been prescribed in the book as a work up to Animagus transfigurations, today he was going to try some prelimnary Animagus Transfigurations. He went into a deserted classroom and shut the door. He started changing parts of his own body using his wand as part human transfigurations. He had able to do that effortlessly for the past few days, he put his wand back into his robe and concentrated hard on turning his hand into a hawks claw, amazingly he was able to do it effortlessly, he went on and did all the other excercises prescribed in the book, 'an elephant foot, a lions paw, a turtles shell transfiguration and even a Rhino's Horn'. 

He read the last part again, Animagus transfiguration is only one step away from wandless magic and hence very few Wizards are able to do it, it is a type of wandless magic on to oneself, even though it is easier to transform parts of your body it is impossible to attain Animagus transformation until you have a complete understanding of your own consciousness and the traits which liken you to a particular animal.

Harry was in deep thought, which animal was he like, as fearless as a lion. No, even though he was a Gryffindor he had been afraid of the Dementors, even Voldermort for that matter, he wasn't outwardly aggressive like a lion. A dog like Sirius? He was loyal to his friends but he couldn't imagine himself as a dog, he didn't really snarl like Sirius for one and who had seen a green eyed dog anyway. A Stag like his father, could be, but it still didn't match his personality, he wasn't that elegant, he was dreadful at dancing. He racked his brain a lot but couldn't come up with a solution.

He wandered around the school and came near Prof. Dumbledore's office, just then the gargoyle opened and the professor walked out.

"Ah Harry, feeling healthy, care to share a Tea with me " Dumbledore said as his eyes Twinkled with amusement as he beckoned Harry inside.

**Watcher Note:**

I am sorry that I was not able to put up this chapter earlier, I had some problems with my PC and exams prevented me from putting up this chapter earlier. I expect to put up the next chapter faster it will have some real developments.

Do write in some real reviews even critical one's are welcome also tell me if you like the way the romantic angle is shaping up.


	7. Chapter 7: A meeting and some answers

Jadushala

Disclaimer: I don't own  Harry potter and other characters owned by JK rowling, her publishers and Warner Bros. The story and some charchters introduced and to be introduced are however my own creation.

Chapter 7: A meeting and some answers 

Harry followed Prof. Dumbledore into his office. It looked just the same as when he had last been there at the end of last term. It was a small but a very cosy room, as usual Fawkes-the phoenix was perched nearby, it seemed to be asleep. On closer scrutiny there seemed to be a few more bizarre additions to the office, there was a huge map of hogwarts and the forbidden forest on the wall of his room, a small toy spy which kept moving around the desk with a magnifying glass in hand and giving suspicious looks every few stealthy steps, and a self-replenishing jar of every- flavour beans. 

Professor Dumbledore tapped with his wand on his desk and immediately tea appeared with sandwiches and orange juice. He gazed at him for sometime and sat down with a sigh, "You have some questions for me Harry" he said.

Harry was amazed at how once again Dumbledore had said almost what was on his mind at that precise moment. "How did it happen Professor? Why didn't I die after being poisoned" Harry said looking up at the headmaster expectantly.

"I am not sure Harry, it is perhaps you who could provide me with a clue, tell me what exactly did you feel that day"

Harry narrated to him how the convulsions had started just after he ate the cake and how the amulet in his arm had started throbbing immediately after he vomited blood. "And the most important thing is that the amulet has completely disappeared and I have this in its place" Harry said as he showed him his arm and the new scar on it.  Prof, Dumbledore immediately got up and peered at the image on Harry's arm.

"Interesting..hmm...is this the same as the image on the amulet." he looked up at Harry, who nodded "hmm.. interesting an ancient Sanskrit Rune.. signifying protection..very rare..haven't seen one in 50 years wonder how Sirius laid is hands on this one" he continued mumbling and talking to himself in this fashion for some time and then suddenly cheered up as if he had found an answer to some riddle. 

"Have some Tea first Harry and I believe I can provide you with some acceptable explanations" he said

Harry proceeded to have a sandwich, more interested in hearing what Dumbledore had to say then because he was hungry.

"Harry, what do you know about protective amulets?" 

"That they can protect you against any curses put on you, but they cannot repel the killing curse" Harry said remembering a lesson by Lockhart on Talismans and amulets.

"Yes, yet this amulet saved you from apparent death, I believe you were very lucky to have been wearing this very rare amulet, It saved you from apparent death, yet it didn't have power of its own, it used your own inherent magical energy to fight the poison and subdue it, as such the poison is still within your body but it will not harm you in anyway now, also in the same way the protection of the amulet has entered your body it is an inherent part of your body. The amulet itself did not have the power to overcome this poison but it drew upon your magical energy. I believe that is what caused the huge explosion at privet drive."

Harry remained silent, stunned for a few moments, as the words sunk in," Does it mean that it was I who really caused that explosion, what do you mean that the poison and the protection are both inherent in me" harry asked puzzled by the whole thing.

" It was you. I also believe that most curses will have no effect on you now Harry, you will be able to absorb most curses without having any problem." Dumbledore said as he peered intently at him from his half-moon spectacles.

Harry took a few minutes to absorb this information. He then composed himself. " May I ask you one thing, sir" Harry inquired hesitatingly. Dumbledore nodded. "I heard that you had something planned for me, is that true"

Prof. Dumbledore again let out a huge sigh and the spoke  "Harry I believe the time has come for you to have some very special training. You are not an ordinary boy and an ordinary training will do you no justice. You will realize more of this when the correct time comes but understand one thing you and your life are instrumental in the fight against Voldermort; Grindelwald was my battle and I won it but this battle is not mine. No one but you yourself can protect your life and you must learn how to do that. You carried a grown wizards burden in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and time is short."

"You shall be trained at Jadushala, the Orders school of advanced magic, you will find more people from across the world like yourself who have special abilities and who need to develop them under some special supervision. Your training will start from Monday. Be at my office at 5'O Clock sharp Monday Morning and I will show you the way to go there"

With this Prof. Dumbledore signaled an end of discussion and Harry left the office with his head in a tizzy.

Harry spent the rest of the day pre occupied in his thoughts and speaking little with anybody.  He sat silently at the dinner table in the great hall playing with his food and watching Ron and Hermione engage in another of their frivolous arguments. Ginny who was sitting right across him noticed his apparent lack of interest in eating. Harry got up and prepared to leave the table, he didn't really feel like eating. Ginny immediately followed behind him, Ron and Hermione had apparently settled their argument and were in an advanced stage of entanglement, which Ginny felt hazardous to disturb.

Harry kept on walking until he reached an open gallery at one end of the West Tower, which was completely deserted. He sat on the low ledge of the gallery his legs drawn towards himself, and head in his hands, he felt completely drained, he couldn't even manage to cry, he looked at the full moon, it made him think of lupin, but then he shrugged, so many father figures, Lupin, Sirius, Dumbledore and to some extent even Mr. Weasley but they could never really comfort him the way his parents would have. He looked down despairingly. A shadow fell across, and Harry looked up it was Ginny, Her pale face was looking almost translucent in the moonlight and her striking flame hair was blowing in the cool breeze which blew across the galleria. She came upto him but didn't say a single word, there was no need to, Harry saw it in her eyes and something moved inside him, a tear crept down from his eyes at the same time as it emerged from her's, They embraced and hugged each other tightly still not saying a single word. They just sat the close to each other, silent, listening to the rythum of each other's heart and gazing up at the starry summer sky. 

It was a long time before anyone spoke. "Thanks.." Harry said softly, At this she looked up at him, they were very close, he could feel her breath, their eyes locked and they kissed, the world seemed to stop for a moment. Before they drew apart, " Ginny, I have wanted to say this for quite some time…"he held her face in his hands ".. I love you.."  She smiled at this and gave him a big hug and tears welled down her eyes " I love you too Harry Potter.. I love you too.." she said amidst her sobs muffled as he held her in a tight embrace.

Watchers Note:

This is an eventful chapter, the next chapter is going to introduce many new charachters and give some real shape to the story, I told ya this story will move fast and furious.

Still waiting for some good reviews .. hope you guys liked this chapter.


	8. Chapter 8: A dream,a Fight and a Journey

JaduShala

Disclaimer: I am completely penniless and property less, even the characters of this fiction do not belong to me they are of the ownership of a certain JK Rowling and brothers by the name of Warner, however they have full permission to copy the few characters created by my genius and gain commercial profit if they do manage to do so because I cannot and do not intend to do so.

Chapter 8: A Dream, A Fight and a Journey 

He was standing in a huge cave, it was as is the whole mountain had been carved hollow from inside, the whole place was filled with hundreds of people either wearing saffron or white, something was glowing on the roof, it provided a flickering kind of illumination, the people seemed to be well organized everyone was busy except one person, he sat on a ledge which was half way from the bottom, he couldn't see him properly, he could listen to a strange whispering voice 'your destiny beckons you hari, ..Hari..Hari.. Your destiny calls come..Hari' the voice grew fainter with a familiar sensation of pulling at his navel as if by a Portkey, it was another room splendid but dark only torches illuminated the room, again there was a group of dark hooded people who stood in a semi circle around the center in the center were two thrones made of solid gold and the yellow light of the torches flickered over the yellow metal and the thrones dazzled in the darkness, On one throne sat a man dressed in completely black robes, he had very long hair and his face had a mixed expression of maliciousness and pure venom, he looked at the other throne there sat a man taller than the other one, he looked at his face slit eyes and a scarred snake like face, the pain in his scar increased unbearably and he woke up with a start, a dull throbbing had started in his arm and the pain in his head slowly subsided. 

Luckily the dorm was empty and the sun was already filtering through from the window. Harry got up, stifled a yawn, stretched and went and washed himself. He prepared to leave for a late breakfast. It was Sunday, which meant the others would be leaving. He hurried down and crashed into Snape on the way. Harry had been avoiding the potions professor for most part of his stay at Hogwarts. "O oh, there goes my morning "

"What was that Potter, doesn't anybody teach you how to walk and talk, 10 points to be taken from Gryffindor at the start of next term for undisciplined behavior at school" Snape bellowed with the sneer intact on his face.

Harry opened and shut his mouth like a fish out of water; he wished to answer back but stopped himself. He didn't want to lose any more points even before the term started. He hurried of towards the great hall without another backward glance at Snape.

"That's unjust, he can't do that!" Ron bellowed "Even before the start of the term. There's got to be some rules against this". He had just got to know about Harry's encounter with Snape and was positively furious with Snape.

"Well we can't do anything about that but maybe we can plan and earn some house points maybe even make the Slytherins lose some" Hermione answered a mysterious glint in her eyes.

"What are you talking about" Ron said looking perplexed.

"I think I have a plan. Just wait for some time I need to go to the.."  "Library" Harry and Ron finished Hermione's sentence as she hurried off to the exact same place.

"I think you just heard another death sentence" 

"Ya..I remember Rita Skeeter. If I were a Slytherins I would watch out." Ron smirked.

"Hey! Wanna play chess," he asked enthusiastically.

"No, sorry Ron, I just have to go somewhere. Meet you at lunch." Harry said as he hurried out leaving a very puzzled Ron in the common room.  Unbeknownst to Ron, Harry had made a beeline for the lake. He had an appointment with Ginny. Harry had been slipping off this way all throughout the week and he wanted to spend every moment of their last day together. 

Ginny entered the Great Hall for lunch a few minutes after Harry as was pre decided. 

"Where were you the whole morning Ginny" Ron asked his eyes narrowed, brows arched and an expressionless face which betrayed the strain he was in. 

"Ah..er.I was at the Quidditch Pitch"

"Quidditch pitch my foot, Ginny" Ron shouted, "Where were you?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you Ron" Ginny said, the blood rising to her face

"Explanation is it, I am responsible for you, you are not going to go snogging with somebody and get off just like that, and I am going to owl home and wait till you hear from mother."

"You can't do that," Ginny said exasperated " look at what you yourself have been up to for the past two weeks."

Harry looked flabbergasted at Ron, this wasn't exactly how he had planned to broach the subject with Ron and he had not expected this kind of reaction from him either.

But suddenly, "ha..ha…."Ron was laughing all of a sudden and so was Hermione "j..Just look at their f..faces" Ron snorted amidst his uncontrollable fit of laughter, which sent Hermione onto a fresh set of giggles. Harry and Ginny stared at each other; puzzled and perplexed, at the bizarre behavior. Slowly comprehension dawned on them.

"Ron I am going to kill you " Ginny blurted out loudly as she shot a freshly backed apple pie splat on Ron's very jovial face, that was just the signal Harry needed as a veritable feast landed right on top of Hermoine head. All this was being watched upon with great interest at the Teachers table, Prof. Dumbledore's banana pie landed right on the big nose of Hagrid, which was what triggered off another set of Food wars, the usually restrained Prof. McGonagall splattered Snape's face with a well aimed Ice-cream and the short professor Flitwick threw a plate of pudding right at Prof. Binns, which passed right through him and landed on McGonagall's head. At the end of it, the house elves had a lot of clearing to do and Harry's flabbergasted expression had been transferred to Hermione's face, who couldn't believe that Prof. McGonagall had actually thrown an ice-cream at somebody's face.

By evening it was time to leave and few kisses and a lot many good byes later the Weasley's left for the burrow, Hermione for her house and Harry to the special room which was to be his for the night cause he was to leave the following morning for a rendezvous with Prof. Dumbledore which could well change many things in his life.

A blurry-eyed Harry landed up outside the Headmaster's office at a not so sharp 5.10. The headmaster himself came right on time, fresh and merry, dressed in black robes and a funny looking hat which turned and bobbed up and down on its own. Dumbledore beckoned Harry to follow him outside to the grounds.

"Where are we going Professor" Harry asked following Dumbledore and leviating his trunk behind him.

"You Harry, and not both of us, will be going as I mentioned to you for specialized training to Jadushala."

"Where is this school Jadushala and how am I to get there." He asked perplexed and confused as to what Dumbledore actually had in mind for him.

"Jadushala literally means School of Magic, it is situated somewhere right in the center of the Himalayas, It was set up thousands of years ago, before Godric Gryffindor or Salazaar Slutherin were even born, to impart magical education to select few students, by a man called Mrityanjaya Shastri. Make no mistake it is not any ordinary school of magic and you will find the most extra-ordinary people from across the world undergoing training at the school. The school has been a bearer of the torch for the light side for centuries. It assists the order of Phoenix in its fight against Voldermort. It has a storehouse of ancient knowledge and learning long forgotten in the mists of time elsewhere, unsurpassed and unequalled by any other place in the world. "

"Professor have you ever been to this school before." Harry inquired

" Yes I have and it is a privilege that I happen to be one of its students, remember Harry, you don't choose this school it chooses you"

" How do I get there professor it is so far away and will I be back at Hogwarts when the term starts " Harry asked half-afraid that he would never return to his beloved school.

"Yes, you will be back at the beginning of the term at Hogwarts. As far as the answer to your first question is concerned I want you to meet somebody" By the time Dumbledore said this they had crossed the grounds and reached the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. A figure dressed completely in white emerged unheard out of the shadows of one of the huge oak trees. 

"Grandmaster, is this the boy" he said addressing Dumbledore.

"You are right on time Rex, yes this is Harry Potter" Dumbledore greeted him " Harry, this is Rex, he will accompany you to Jadushala, take care Harry, ciao" he said addressing him.

Harry greeted Rex, bid adieu to the Professor and followed Rex into the forbidden forest. Harry tried a few times, rather unsuccessfully, to strike up a conversation with his 'companion in white', who seemed to be only a few years older than him.

" How are going to get there, is there a PortKey we are looking for" Harry said after he had followed Rex for almost 20 minutes deeper and deeper into the forbidden forest so that the only light that managed to filter through the thick canopy of trees was green.

" No, no portkey, wait and watch.." Rex answered as he continued to walk without the least bit slackening his pace. He continued walking in this manner for 5 more minutes before he came to a strange rock at a fork in the path, it was tall, cylindrical based and pointed tip rock which seemed out of place in a forest where the nearest hill was ateast a 60 miles away. 

"I think you should get into something warmer otherwise you will freeze in the weather there" he advised Harry. Harry immediately proceeded to wear a long coat and various other assortments, which made him look quite plump. His friend however made no attempt to change his own clothes, which were by no means made for cold weather.  

He touched the Rock with his wand and said 'Dvar prakatitam' immediately the rock transformed into a door. Harry stepped into the door as motioned by Rex, as soon as he put his feet through the door, he felt as if he had jumped into a bottom less pit, a place of absolute nothingness, complete darkness surrounded him and he felt as if he was falling in an abyss. However after a few hair raising minutes, in which Harry had managed to pray to every god, apostle and angel he could remember, his feet touched solid ground, and there in front of him was a door exactly similar to the one he had left behind.

Watchers Note:

I thank all my reviewers, do tell me whether you like this chapter, as promised I have put up this chapter in quick time, the next one will come quickly too.

I have unraveled a few mysteries along the way and next chapter might start a few more. New characters would be added to the story in the next chapter. I would like some help with the characterizations, so do tell me.


	9. Chapter 9: Jadushala

JaDuShala

Disclaimer: Last Chapter's disclaimer applies. ( I am feeling too lazy to write a new one and obviously I can't make any commercial gains from this chapter if I couldn't from the last one)

Chapter 9: Jadushala 

Harry looked at the door in front of him and tentatively opened the door, he emerged unto the most desolate but peaceful place he had ever seen, the whole mountain face in front of him was blanketed in snow and there was not a single living thing tree, shrub, root, animal or insect in sight. Rex emerged a few moments later apparently out of thin air right next to him.

Inspite of the fact that it was summer, it was very cold and Harry was glad that he had worn the warm clothing suggested by Rex. He turned around to face Rex, who to his complete amazement showed no signs of feeling cold inspite of the thin white cloak he was wearing. 

"Harry you are now going to enter the realms of Jadushala. Not many living persons have set foot on this pure place. No one with any dark intentions can ever set foot within the boundaries drawn by the great Mrityanjaya Shastri thousands of years ago."

Harry had been thinking of the name mentioned by Prof. Dumbledore, the book he had swapped in Flourish & Blotts had the same name, Harry had been unable to understand a word in the book as it was in an ancient script he couldn't decipher.  However he had decided he was going to have a better look at it later.

Rex continued, "The school awaits your arrival, and behold as the gates open to give you entrance.. Open Jadushala..he roared and the mountain face in front of him disappeared to reveal a gaping hole in it.

Harry watched open mouthed, it was as if his dream was being repeated reel by reel, scene by scene, frame by frame.  He could now remember every detail of his dream with crystal clear clarity, the overbearing mountains, the man in white robes and even the way the entrance was revealed to him.

He followed Rex in a daze, the entrance lead into a narrow corridor lit by strange oblong lights on either side, which gave a flickering orange illumination. The Corridor writhed and turned in and around the mountain like a snake before it widened out into the most magnificent hall Harry had ever seen, even his dream did no justice to the over bearing size of that hall, no human hand could have carved out the mountain, yet it had. There was a huge chandelier like thing on the ceiling of the hall which illuminated the hall. Just as Harry had seen in his dream there was a ledge halfway from the bottom completely inaccessible unless you could fly and there sat a man, overseeing and noting all that went about below in the hall.  The hall itself was filled with a large number of students some wore saffron and some wore white, all busy doing something or the other. The gaze of the man on the ledge fell upon Harry and then to Harry's utter disbelief he just jumped of the ledge. 

Harry stood open mouthed as that man fell almost in slow motion, as if held by an invisible hand he touched the bottom gracefully and came up to Harry. He was tall, a flowing white beard that could put Dumbledore to shame, his wizened skin, thick eyebrows and wise disposition made him look of considerable age, yet his eyes were what caught Harry's attention, they were bright and lively, yet like deep wells they seemed to have the wisdom of the world, his posture was that of a young man, his robe pure white and he had an aura around his personality which made any person just bow his head in respect. That what precisely what Harry was doing, as if held by an invisible hand and from the approving expression on Rex's face Harry could gather that he had done the right thing.

"Harry Potter, welcome to Jadushala, I am Prof., Well I think you would use that expression, Prof. Pandit, I oversee the running of this school, and you can come to me if you need any help. I feel you need to understand the concept of this school, here there are no teachers, no students, yet every person you shall meet here shall teach you something and in turn learn something from you. In the beginning you shall be granted a saffron robe, the colour of detachment and ultimately you shall earn the white robe the colour of absolute purity.  Rex will show you to your quarters and after that you are free to go and do as you wish." Harry listened to the soft sonorous speech of Prof. Pandit with rapt attention. He accepted the set of robes granted by the professor and left with Rex for the dorms. They went back into the corridor they had come in from after a few more turns they came to an offshoot which led them farther into the mountain.

The dorm was really beautiful, a running waterfall led off one of the walls, and even though it was so cold outside, the temperature inside was just cool, the beds were low and really soft, Harry was lucky to get his near the window, the view outside was breathtaking, somehow the tunnels in the mountain led to the bottom of the mountain, and this was the place where summer was just showing its small miracles, beautiful colorful flowers, and plants which had slept for most part of the year under the blanket of the snow were stretching out into the sunlight.

"What am I supposed to do next, Rex. I really have no Idea what or how I am going to learn here" Harry asked Rex, hoping that at least this time he would get a better response from his 'silent companion in white'.

"Well Harry, come with me and I will show you around", Rex said and took Harry to the main hall, "You see Harry this is the main hall and you can meet, talk, socialize and learn anything over here, there are twelve ante-rooms to this main halls, where students would be practicing certain specific arts" saying this he took Harry to a nearby room, "This is the dueling room, you can learn to fight and duel using armed and unarmed combat, next to this room, is the transfigurations room, where you can learn anything from advanced to animagus transformation, another room is for transportation, learning of  apparation, teleportation, making portkeys and even ancient ways of transportation like the one's we have used today." He then took Harry to another circular room a bit larger than the others, which had strange apparatus and contraptions like a muggle laboratory, "This is the magical inventions room, here students are free to use all assets at their disposal to invent anything, a new potion, a new spell and even a new magical product. Many commercial products have been invented right over here."

"Hey Rex, is that your new friend " a dark curly haired kid called out " Hi!, I am Virgil, " he said shaking hands with Harry  " You know I have just invented a new type of warm Ice-cream,  would you like to taste it, just wait here I will go and get it " he said enthusiastically and hurried of inside to get one for Harry and Rex. 

"If we know what's good for us we should get outta here" Rex muttered as he pulled Harry out of the room. 

They had just entered another room, when  "hey!, ees dat  you haarry, I never to't that I wuld catch up wit you here" Harry turned just to crash into a very bubbly Fleur Delcour. She gave him a big hug which was not that surprising since she had changed her opinion about 'little Harry' after he had saved her sisters life in the second task of the Triwizard tournament and now held a most benevolent opinion about him.

"Vot are you doing 'ere arry, did dombeldore send you here" she asked enthusiastically.

"Well actually yes, what are you doing here Fleur" Harry said, glad to find a familiar face and a beautiful one at that, in a sea of strangers.

"Ai hav come 'ere to learn languages, I am learning elfish, dwarfish, ancient runes and even engleesh here, what do you plan to do 'arry" Fleur said flashing her million watts smile.

Harry stuttered for a few moments unable to decide how to answer that, oh hell, he was amidst the most brilliant people on the globe and he didn't even know what he come there for in the first place. Maybe this was all a really big mistake, he thought despairingly. " I haven't er' exactly decided, actually" he answered. Harry was getting really afraid because every one he had seen at the school was atleast two years older than him and most of them had already finished their basic schooling. He was really feeling out of place and hoped that Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he sent Harry to Jadushala.

"Vell, don't worry you can do languages you know I am going to work in the Diplomatic Corps of the French Ministry of Magic" Fleur added.

Having seen that Harry had found some company and a beautiful one at that, Rex had already removed himself from sight. Harry spent the rest of the day with Fleur, roaming around the school and familiarizing himself with other rooms, the library and some new acquaintances. Amongst his new acquaintances was a tall handsome boy named Mike Bottlebroom, who was an expert Dueller and who seemed to be Fleur's latest Boy friend; a girl named Niki Lee who spent most of her time in the transfigurations room learning advanced transfigurations; and a heavily built 7 ft tall Lara Pathan who was there to learn a surprisingly delicate art of making wands and other magical objects. Harry spent his time very well with his newly made friends all of whom tried to force upon Harry the apparent importance of learning their particular skill when they came to know that he had not yet decided what he was going to learn there.

"You have to understand Harry, wand making is the most important art in the history of Wizards, you don't have a wand you are no more than a muggle" Lara boomed at Harry when they had all gathered at the main hall for Lunch.

"That's not entirely true you can become an animagus and you won't need a wand to transform yourself into an animal" Niki countered quite seriously.

"Ya, and what use is a Wand if you don't know how to use it, you don't know how ta duel and you are no more than a dead duck" Mike said pointing his fork animatedly as if it were a sword.

"You guys only talk of war, if you learn languages you can solve all problems diplomatically, ve don't vant to be barbarians." Now even Fleur had jumped in with her own point of view.

Harry had nodding his head and agreeing with everything each of them said and at the end of it he was even more confused than he had been at the beginning of the conversation.

Harry sunk into his bed dead tired, he had had a long day and his head was reeling with all the information he had gathered. All the excitement in the day had really tired him and immediately he slipped off into deep sleep.

The setting this time was a bit different, but the hooded figures were the same, they stood in a semi circle out in the open, a man was kneeling on the ground. Prostrating before a Tall figure who stood over all the others and said in a silken smooth voice which held more than a hint of threat , "Where Is That book, Lucius"

"I am sorry master, I searched every where, it has simply disappeared, maybe they already have the book, maybe they are double crossing us Lord" the man whimpered. " I accept no excuses Lucius, you know my quest for immortality, I need that book, then no living creature wizard or elf shall ever dare to challenge me. I shall be god. They shall not get the book before us, do you understand, Lucius. Then maybe perhaps not" His face bent into a sneer " May be this will make you understand better..Crucio"

The man screamed and writhed under tremendous pain and Harry got up with a start, he was perspiring heavily and his scar was throbbing with pain. However it soon subsided after the throbbing in his arm started to counter it. Harry thought about the dream he had just had. It was definitely Lucius Malfoy who was receiving punishment from Voldermort. Voldermort had seemed even more powerful than the last time Harry had encountered him. It was as if he was so soaked in his dark power that even light seemed unable to penetrate into that darkness. Why was Voldermort after a book? Who were these other people of whom Lucius was talking about? Was this book the same book that he had swapped from that other man he had seen at Flourish & Blotts? If it was so, then he definitely needed more about this book quickly. But all that would have to wait till morning, right now it was time for some deep dreamless sleep. Harry dropped off back to bed resolving that tomorrow would be a more productive day.

Elsewhere at that time there was a meeting in progress,

"Severeus, what news do you have for all of us" Dumbledore said presiding over yet another meeting of the Order of Phoenix.

"I have some news for all of you, It took some hard bargaining and a lot of cajoling before Crabbe agreed to part with this information. He told me that, Malfoy has been on the look out for some book for You-know-who and even suffered some punishment at his hands for not being able to do so. It seems only people in the inner circle know who Voldermort is dealing with. He seems to be absent for long periods of time and every time he returns he has more of his old strength back. Also Wormtail has been absent from these meetings, he has been sent for some mission by his master. You-know-who still does not trust me and only if I provide him with fresh followers will he allow me to earn his trust back." Snape finished and Sat down.

"I think I know what that Rat has been up to for the past few months" Sirius spoke the contempt clear in his voice" My sources tell me there is a lot of disturbance among the dementors, they even attacked an killed an inmate at Azkaban. Fudge has been trying hard to keep it out of the papers. I have reports of Wormtail being seen near the fortress of Azkaban, He seems to have a new disguise, but his steel hand gave him away"

"That is most unfortunate, I fear the situation there maybe out of our hands already, What is the news from the Ministry Mr. Croaker" Dumbledore said, worry lines on his forehead seemed to have increased in the past few months.

"There is unrest in the ministry, what Sirius says is true, the dementors are behaving strangely, but Fudge refuses to acknowledge the return of Voldermort. Mad-eye-moody has managed to enlist the help of quite a few aurors, I feel we have to do something quickly before this thing deteriorates further" He answered.

"Arthur ready yourself, I thing the time for Operation Cyclone has arrived. Unleash stage one of our plan, throw your weights around, starts lobbying with the ministers. Inform the media and start your enlisting campaigns, the war may still be away but the battles shall soon begin and the first stroke should be ours."

Arthur Weasley nodded but remained silent.

"Before we leave I want you people to meet someone who will be helping us gather some very important intelligence, especially you Severus, she shall be your responsibility" saying this Prof. Dumbledore motioned "You can come out into the open now"

Everybody watched with their mouths agape, Sirus and Snape had a common expression of Indignation, 

"She can't have joined the order, with all due respect headmaster but are you sure " Snape said expressing his utter indignation with as much courage as he could muster.

" Well every body meet Daily Staff Reporter Rita Skeeter.  Yes I am sure Severus, Rita here has been helping us spy over Fudge for the past few months at great personal risk, however from what information she gives me, that job shall soon be over and her next job will be to spy over Lord. Voldermort and hence I repeat Severus she shall be your responsibility henceforth."

"But How did she do that" Snape answered still unable to believe his own ears.

"Because I am a bug, Snape" Rita Skeeter answered in her silken spidery voice.

"A what?" 

"I am an Animagus, I can turn into a beetle and effectively spy for the order" She answered the impatience now clear in her voice.

"I think that should settle the matter" Dumbledore added calmly and cast a gaze at all the others in the room.

Severus nodded resignedly and sank back into his seat.

"And now for the information that Rita has brought for us, kindly do the honours Rita.." Dumbledore announced as he too returned back to his seat at the head of the table.

Watcher's Note:

Thanks do give me some substantial reviews about how you want me to shape the new characters, I am going to write longer chapters from hence forth as requested. Hope you like this chapter do write in with your reviews it helps me to know that somebody is actually reading what I wrote (new author Blues). And I welcome any kind of criticism, I will sure try to iron out any flaws you people point out.

And I am Horrible with accents so excuse me if the French accent looks less French and more Russian or maybe neither ( Hides Behind his HooD).


	10. Chapter 10: From the ashes he shall rise...

# JaDuShala

**Fanfiction Disclaimer:** I have watched this story unfold before my eyes, but through characters created in the Wizard World of J.K. Rowling. I just wish to tell you what I watch shrouded in the shadows not because I wish to earn money from this but because that is what Watchers do they watch and they tell what they Watch even if the characters do not belong to them.

# Chapter Ten: From the ashes he shall rise like a…

Operation Cyclone: Phase one: Zero Hour:

"All units on position, Operation Cyclone: phase one zero hour" Mad-eye's voice crackled over the sound stones. 

Every unit had a sound stone through which they could communicate with each other. Their units had surrounded the castle of Azkaban the high security wizard prison. Latest reports had confirmed that the Dementors had switched over to the dark lords side. Operation Cyclone was to have first strike advantage. Mad-eye was to Marshall the units into action.

"Any sign of activity Bug" He asked

"No roads clear, they seem to be takin it easy" Rita "Bug" Skeeter replied.

"Ok all units unleash the cyclone" Mad-eye ordered as he lept into the prison.

Lupin and Sirius went in through the roof top, Moody & Dumbledore from the front door to create the Impact, Various storm units of Aurors and Elves crashed in through the windows, the dwarves had already tunnled their way in from below the castle and were waiting for the signal to spring. It was a massacre, the the Dementors had no effect on the elves who blasted apart dementors after dementors with their Fair-forest Arrows. The death eaters who had entered the prison were taken care of by the aurors and the Dwarves. Unfortunatley many of the prisoners had already been transported from the place, a few innocent prisoners were saved from death and torture. A few death eaters were stunned and captured by Dumbledore and Moody.

"Let me take care of the rat" Sirius said as he lept in after Wormtail who true to his habit had tranfromed into a rat and was making a quick exit from yet another failed operation. Lupin was literally manhandling many of the death eaters, he shrugged and sent yet another hooded figuring flying in to the opposite wall, the figure crashed and crumpled in a heap. Lupin still stunned him and bounded down the stairs after another figure who was trying to make a quick escape. This man was wearing a black longcoat and not a cloak like the other death eaters, he was over six feet tall and had a huge built, he had surprising agility for a man his size, he ran out to one of the windows and jumped out. Lupin followed in after him and looked out of the window, the man had completely disappeared into thin air, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Nowhere to run Peter.." Sirius said as he cornered the rat, he gave an almost dog like growl "Game Over.. Wormtail..you can't escape from a marauder all the time, you little rat."

The Rat transformed into a plump shivering Wormtail. His Steel hand gleamed in the moonlight, which cast a shadow across his face. 

"You forget Sirius.. I was a Marauder too" Wormtail said "And now I am more powerful than I was the last time we met" he showed Sirius his steel fist and threw a stunner at him. Sirius ducked to his left and countered it with his own stunner. 

Wormtail raised his wand to send in another stunner. "ah..ah.. you don't 'Cursa Reflecta' "Sirius thundered , the curse had an amazing effect Wormtails stunner bounded off Sirius and headed right back at him. Wormtail had to dive to the ground to avoid it, a distraction that was enough for Sirius who stunned him with such force that wormtail crashed into the opposite wall and cracked his head. "Serpentia Boundame" Sirius muttered and coiles of snakes flew from his wand and wrapped themselves around Wormtails Body binding him so tightly that he could scarcely breath. Sirius leviated Wormtails body and proceeded out to meet the others.

By this time most of the Dementors had been destroyed and a few captured death eaters had been brought into the main office of the Prizon where Mady-Eye and Dumbledore were waiting. Sirius entered Wormtail in tow.

" We have the Prize catch " Sirius smiled grimly as he dropped Wormtail none to gently on the floor in front ofProf. Dumbledore's feet.

"Prize catch indeed but unfortunately most of the prisoners have already been transported out of here, this includes the Lestranges. However Phase one has been successful we have wiped out every single Dementor in this prison and saved a few innocent prisoners in the process." Dumbledore said smiling for the first time in days. " Moody tell Arthur, start Phase Two: Operation Cyclone." He signaled to Moody who left immediately. "And Sirius lets just wait for sometime before springing our prize catch onto the ministry..ok"Dumbledore winked at Sirius who nodded. Soon one by one they left the precincts of 'Azkaban-the High security Wizard Prison'.

## Daily Prophet

_Azkaban broken, Inmates freed, Dementors disappear._

Unconfirmed reports, to have reached exclusively to this paper, have broken a devastating story, if found to be true. Our sources have said that Azkaban has been broken open by dark wizards with the apparent help of the dementors; most of the inmates have been freed, a few of the prisoners have also been reported to have been killed after apparent torture using unforgivable curses. On being questioned about the same The Minister of Magic, Mr. Fudge refused to comment. Mr. Fudge has been consistently denying reports of rise in death eater activity for the past few months. If true this will have devastating effect on the wizard and muggle world as it apparently confirms what Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, have been saying for months about the Resurrection of You Know Who. 

The Super Auror Mad-Eye Moody was very outspoken on being questioned, he said that Minister Fudge had willingly turned a blind eye to the death eater activity because of his lust for power. He added that if Mr. Fudge has any dignity left he would immediately resign from his post. He also called for the assembly to impeach the minister and elect a new minister of magic. Rumblings have been rising within the ranks of the ministry and the assembly for the resignation of the minister. Among the names cropping up for the Premier post the foremost is of Wiz. Arthur Weasley who holds a portfolio in the current ministry.

Our sources have been trying to confirm the story but the ministry has been unreachable and Azkaban has been surrounded by a high security blanket, which has not allowed anybody near. The treachery of the Dementors had been predicted by Headmaster Dumbledore, who has campaigned against their guarding the prison. Reports have also confirmed that intense lobbying has started within the ranks of the assembly to find a face saving solution. Rumours have it that the knowledge of the trouble at Azkaban has been with the Ministry for quite sometime but they have kept a tight wrap over the case. Discontent has been brewing among the aurors who have been stopped from acting against dark wizards. Rumours have also pointed to death eater funding of Minister Fudge's election campaigns, which has further maligned the highest post of the Wizarding World.

Well Rumors did start after the Newspaper report if not before it was published. Within hours the story was running on the Wizarding Wireless and associated Tabloids. The Ministry was flodded with Owls with an estimated 70% Howlers. Arthur Weasley's name started being taken for the top job even if it was being take before. Operation Cyclone: Phase Two had started.

Unfortunately, the circulation of the daily prophet had not yet reached the far off realms of Jadushala and Harry had spent the past few weeks busy in learning the difficult arts of Dueling and animagus transfigurations. He was at present invlolved in a tete a tete with Prof. Pandit.

"Professor I have completed every exercise in the book and have been able to do all of them successfully but I still cannot turn into an animal, maybe it is not in me" a down cast Harry had been seeking guidance from the Professor after he had failed in his attempts of animagus transformation.

"Do not use such words of defeat Harry, they are not the mark of a Gryffindor, that you are. Animagus transformation can only be done if you understand yourself well, what traits in you are similar to an animal, only you can find out. " Prof. Pandit said in his deep rumbling voice. 

"Can you not help in any way?" Harry inquired still looking very down cast.

" I can but only if you help yourself. "He said as he stood up " Harry, I am going to put you in a trance, it is up to you to find out yourself in it, remember the answer has always been inside you and I am only helping you to probe your subconscious" he said as he waived his wand over harry's eyes and mumbled a few words under his breath. A silvery mist seemd to surround Harry and he entered a trance like state.

He entered an unknown wood, he saw a single light a long way off, he started to walk towards it, he tried to search for his wand but he was unable to find it, walking seemed tedious, he felt really good, he almost felt like flying with the breeze blowing through his hair, he closed his eyes to capture the moment. His quidditch victories flashed through his eyes. He opened his eyes to find that he was hovering 40 feet into the air and the whole wood seemed like a dark never ending mass of green. He soared over the wood to find the source of the light, he came up to a small cottage, a house he had always seen in his worst nightmares, soon the events that had played in his dreams for some many countless nights were repeated, excruciatingly scene by scene. Lily Potter ran out the infant Harry in her arms, James potter followed right behind her, they were confronted by the sneering lucius malfoy, the dark lord emerged from the shadows with Wormtail at his tail. James Potter's expression changed from horror to anger back to horror and then a resigned determination. A green light flashed through Voldermorts wand and James potter lay dead. He could see Lily Potter crying, pleading with the dark lord, then another flash leaving another crumpled body. Voldermort turned his attention to the baby, another flash, the death curse, Avada Kedavara, a blinding pain shot through harry and he blacked out.

His vision cleared he saw himself in his first year, the fight with the posessed Prof. Quirrel. Quirrel attacked him, he heard him scream as a searing pain shot through him and again he blacked out.

Another setting, The young Tom riddle, standing over Ginny's unconscious body, he summoned the Snake, he had a fleeting glimpse of Fawkes the..and he blacked out.

He emerged in yet another familiar nightmare, the crumpled body of Cedric at his feet, the duel with the Resurrected Lord Voldermort, again the pain shot through him, he saw glimpses of the shadows emerging from Voldermorts wand before he blacked out.

This time the setting was all too familiar, Four Privet Drive, he had just eaten the cake, and convulsions and pain shook through his body, the throbbing started in his arm it started to clear away the pain, he felt the explosion, and a voice floated in to his head as he blacked out, ……………..From the Ashes he shall rise like a………..Phoenix. 

Prof. Pandit looked worriedly at the prostrate form of Harry. His body was shaking with repeated convulsions. There had been tremendous emissions of energy he had never witnessed before, most of the furniture in the room had been blasted to smithereens, compelling the Professor to transfer Harry to an insulated room deep into the heart of the mountain. Then right before his very eyes there was a huge explosion and Harry seemed to have enveloped himself in a blinding light, as he changed.

He transformed into a beautiful Phoenix, wings spread, claws barred, and two distinguishing scars one on the head and another on the wing, the bird floated on the air, opened its eyes, emitted a sonorous note, immediately transformed back into its human form. Harry found himself on feet which were unable to bear his weight, he immediately collapsed in a heap on the ground. The Professor stood rooted to the spot for a few moments before he could recover his bearings, he rushed to Harry's aid and transferred him to the Hospital Wing.

**Watchers Note**: I am thankful to my reviewers for their encouragement.Some major developments have started in this chapter, Story will develop quickly from this point onwards.

P/S I would love to get more reviews so if you guys are reading it do review and tell me wether you want me to continue with the story.


	11. Chapter 11: The Hall of merlin

Chapter Eleven: The Hall of Merlin 

Minister Arthur Weasley had the toughest assignment he had ever handled in his 20 yr old career in the ministry. On the flipside it was also the assignment that any entrant to the ministry always dreams of. But Arthur Weasley was different. He had always kept his dreams small. It was as if he was afraid that lest he let his dreams get bigger, they would harm his happy family life. His family was his most prized possession. He was the type of husband who would always remember his marriage anniversary, the type of father who would always keep his appointment for his sons Quidditch match, the type of brother who would be give his brother a surprise silver jubilee Party and the kind of son who would never forget to call home to keep a check on his old Mum. But amidst all this Arthur Weasley always looked at himself in the mirror and hoped he had led a different life. He knew he had been an under achiever in school, ministry and in life. He cringed every time he was unable to offer his children new robes, new books, new brooms and his wife the beautiful diamond necklace he had caught her admiring in a shop display window. He cringed every time a kid at school threw insults at his sons. Contrary to popular belief he did know what was said behind his back, it was just that he chose to ignore it. 

But the assignment he was going to handle this time was going to change it all. On the one hand Dumbledore had offered him a chance to get what he had always deserved and on the other it threw him and his family onto the path of Voldermort the most feared Wizards of all time. On the one hand life offered him the opportunity to become a martyr, a hero, a leader in the most epic fight against the Dark Lord on the other life offered him a back door to live an unacknowledged happy life that he had been living till now. But humans and their urges are strange. They would choose the difficult path over the easy one just because they cannot live with the knowledge of what could have happened if they had taken the particular opportunity. They may remain in a state of inertia, unmoved, unshakeable till the call of a higher duty comes calling right at their doorstep. But once the call comes they cannot refuse.

Arthur Weasley had planned the downfall of Minister Fudge in a most thorough manner. The plan had started the minute Dumbledore had given him the go ahead. He had recruited Rita Skeeter. She had brought in the most remarkable and unexpected information, which had somehow explained all of Fudge's past behavior. As a member of the ministry he knew that the most important thing for a minister is his seat of power and that he would do almost anything to attain and retain his seat of power. He lengths to which Fudge had gone to attain and retain his seat of power had landed him in a trap, a trap assiduously set for a no. of years, a trap in which he was hopelessly caught. 

Operation Cyclone: Phase Two had started with a small call to the most highly circulated news papers in the wizarding world. The next call was to the Wizarding Wireless. The Third was to some of the smaller but quick selling tabloids.  The benefits of being interested in Muggle culture are intangible, and Arthur Weasley had picked up something from a famous German muggle called Goebbels.  

He then waited quietly in a hotel room in a non-descript hotel somewhere in East London. A strong Protecting shield had been created by Dumbledore. The morose looking umbrella in the corner of the Hotel room could suddenly transform itself into a fully armed auror. The garbage can on the street opposite the hotel could do likewise. It was from this hotel room that the next moves of operation cyclone phase Two would be done. They had to wait for a precise 12 hrs to take the next steps. By this time most of the Wizarding world knew of the Attack on Azkaban and the allegations on Minister Fudge. The Tabloids had added expected color to the story in order to take mileage out of the incident. Minister Fudge had suddenly fallen from the heights of reverence to the depths of a common criminal. An interesting story freshly planted read as follows:

**Death Eater funding in Minister Fudge's Election campaigns.**

Accusations of Death Eater's funding of Minister Fudge's election campaigns have tarnished the highest office in the Wizarding World in Britain.  It has been alleged that funding of upto 50000 gaellons had reached Minister Fudge from Death Eaters through direct Transfigurations into his Wizard vault in apparent violation of the Wizarding Laws. The Goblins have agreed to present evidence for the same. It is also clear that this could be the main reason why Minister Fudge prevented the passage of an important legislation to give the aurors the powers to Trap the Death Eaters by use of Veritaserum and long firing sleep stunners an invention of the Magical inventions department at Jadushala- the reputed and exclusive school of Magic.

This fresh information also explains why the minister has always preferred the dementor's kiss or a death sentence to an interrogation by the aurors. A fact which has been confirmed by many reputed aurors. It has also been made clear by the aurors, that the information regarding rise in Death Eater Activity has already been given to Minister Fudge who chose to downplay the threat and gave false statements to the Wizarding press about the attacks. 

In light of the above evidences it remains a matter of time before the ministry impeaches the Minister and replaces him with a more able and morally upright man. The name of Wiz. Arthur Weasley has been circulating within ministry circles for quite some time. The auror community led by Super Auror Mad-Eye Moody has come out with open & full support for his candidature.  Hogwart Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has expressed his full support to the candidature of Arthur Weasley.

The Ministry shall hold an emergency session on Monday on this issue at the Hall of Merlin in London.

The real job started now. The whole Order of Phoenix had swung into action and hectic lobbying and campaigning was in full swing. The newspaper reports had swung the public perception in Mr. Weasley's favor but it were the ministry officials who were to be wooed.  Many old debts were repaid that night and many new ones were created.

The ultimate result was to be had only in the Hall of Merlin. 

        The Hall Of Merlin was established in the early seventeenth century.  It was the council of the elected wizard representatives.  At the gates stood a huge statute of Merlin carved by the great sculptor Michelangelo. It had taken a lot of time travel to construct this historic piece of art. A great Stone structure loomed large in the center of the huge grounds. The Hall of Merlin. Beautifully sculpted across its Walls was the whole wizarding history and mythology.  The Hall of Merlin filled one's senses and only one over bearing emotion of beauty remained in the hearts of the most commonest of Wizards who were fortunate enough to set their eye's on it.

The entrance was illuminated by magical torches and a solid golden gate lead to the main hall. Inside on one side was the throne for the Minister of Magic. And in front of this throne sat the Minstry in a three lined semicircle.  The elected wizards sat facing the Minster in seats suspended in Mid Air. In a token that the will of the people is higher than the post of the minster.

It was in this magnificient surroundings that Arthur Weasley found himself. It was to be his battlefield and the battle was about to begin. The minister who had summoned the session rose up to speak.  It was Minsiter Willowwand.

"Members of this great hall, we have gathered here in the most disturbing circumstances to have arisen before the wizarding world in the last few decades. The lord of the death eaters, has arisen again and we have failed to safeguard Azkaban. His followers are at large again and ready to wreak havoc. It my motion in this hall that keeping in view the failed leadership, a new Minister of Magic be elected to lead this war against the Dark Lord."

The expression on Fudge's face was one of pure hatred and contempt. He suddenly rose up to speak.  " Failed leadership! It was under my leadership that the wizarding world has had the most peaceful times in its entire history. A single incident of death eater activity in Two decades and you say the leadership has failed. I ask the members of this hall, to name a single incident in which my leadership has failed the wizarding community. Prove it and an impeachment will not be necessary, I will resign immediately in this very assembly."

This was exactly what the ministers supporting the order had been waiting for.  Mr. Diggory stood up, " I wish to present before the house a report on the involvement of death eaters in Minister Fudge's election campaigns and his subsequent active and passive support to the dark lord. This report shall be immediately circulated among the members of the hall and I would request a recess of 1 hr for the members to go through the report."

The whole hall was now a buzz with murmurings as copies of the report magically appeared on each table. After one hour of deliberations and hectic lobbying the members gathered in the hall. An ashen faced Minister Fudge slowly made his way to the throne.  The report had clear evidence of how the Minsiters accounts had been credited with huge amounts of funds from unexplained sources, a fact corroborated by the Goblins. The real coup however was the audio recording of the conversation that Fudge had with a death eater codenamed Trojan. His repeated denials of death eater activity, his support to the dementors and the lax security at azkaban despite of intelligence reports all pointed to his guilt. 

Minster Fudge resigned from his post and Arthur Weasley's candidature was put forth by Minister Willowwand. The Hall voted and Arthur Weasley was elected the new Minister of Magic with a majority vote of 70%.  The only other candidature of Goyle, which did not find an y enthusiastic response from anyone.  

Operation Cyclone: Phase Two complete.  

The meeting of the order of Phoenix was a lot more jovial than usual.  There was a round of mutual congratulations and jokes. Even the perpetually surly Snape seemed to be in a lighter mood.

Then Dumbledore stood up. " Thanks to the efforts of all of you. We have won the first battle in this war. Arthur Weasley has been elected Minister of Magic and we can now expect some cooperation from the Ministry. However Operation Cyclone is not over. From the information I have received From Jadushala, Harry should be returning soon to Hogwarts. Phase three will commence as soon as he returns. For her efforts the Order has decided to offer an honourary award to Ms. Rita Skeeter for risking her life in the line of duty."

A polite round of applause followed as a beaming Rita Skeeter accepted the medallion of Honour.


	12. Chapter 12: Alliances

**Chapter Twelve:  Alliances**

The Explosion had been felt by every student of the School.  Whispered rumors had run amok through the school. The explanations had covered an entire spectrum of reasons, viz. an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, an attack by dark wizards, an experiment gone wrong and so on. The last explanation was the one widely believed to be true. Jadushala had been the center point of many magical inventions. It was believed that Harry Potter had tried to invent a magical spell, which had misfired leading to the explosion.

Harry on the other hand had spent the first few days in a barely conscious state, in the Hospital room at Jadushala. It was the second time in two months that he had woken up with a blurred vision in a hospital room. 'This is getting too routine for comfort' Harry thought. The only difference this time was in the friends who were waiting by the bedside for him to recover.

Even though his blurred vision Harry could unmistakably make out the big bulk of Lara Pathan. He felt around, found his glasses and perched them on his nose.  Fleur was sitting on the solitary stool near his bed and looked very worried. Lara and Niki had serious incomprehensible expressions on their faces. Mike on the other hand was the only one who had a smile playing on his lips. 

"Harry, are you alright?" Fleur inquired in a concerned voice.

"Aww, he is alright.  Mind you Harry even I was a bit worried. I couldn't find anyone who could be a more willing acceptor to all my various curses. As soon as you are on your feet again come straight to the dueling room and we can practice some of the more ingenious curses I have manufactured."

"SHUT UP" all of them said in unison.

" Mike go and get Prof. Pandit. He told me to call him as soon as Harry regained consciouness." Lara boomed at Mike, who scurried away to find the Professor. 

Within two minutes Mike returned with Prof. Pandit.

Prof. Pandit entered the room and smiled, "How are you feeling Harry? You really had us worried for some time but this is a speedy recovery" he said.

" I am fine Prof., when can I leave this room."

" You shall be given leave by Tomorrow Afternoon and remember as soon as you are given the permission come and meet me I have some things to discuss with you." He said with a nod of his wise head and glided out of the room.

The rest of them stayed with Harry for some time and tried to engage him in some small talk but not finding him in a receptive move trickled out one by one.

Harry's mind was flooded with vivid images from his trance. He could still feel the energy that had raced across his veins when he converted into the Phoenix. He felt different. Somehow he didn't feel weak anymore. He could now understand how confident Crabbe or Goyle must feel with those big built bodies of theirs. Every part in his body seemed to be buzzing with energy, in fact he felt he so fresh that he was ready for a bout of dueling with Mike.  It was Amazing how he could no longer feel any after effects from the phoenix transformation a couple of days ago. This sent his mind racing through another chain of thoughts. Did his ability to transform into a phoenix mean that he was immortal. He had never heard of anybody else being able to transform himself into a phoenix. Why did it always have to happen to him.  The more he had tried to live a normal life the more extra ordinary it had become. The words from the Daily Telegraph still rang out in his ears, " Harry Potter has n attention Seeking disorder". He heartily agreed. He did have an attention seeking disorder, 'the more he tried to be discreet the more attention he got'.

Harry soon got fed up with all the thoughts buzzing about in his head.  He got up and decided to go for a walk around the school. At least this time he was breaking no rules. This was because Jadushala had no rules against walking around the school at night. Most of the students were in their dorms. The few who were present were the ones who were really serious about their studies. Most of these were the older students and all of them wore white robes, a signal that all of them had advanced to the next level. Harry entered the Research and Inventions room where he had first met Virgil. He looked at the rows and rows of books. A big hall was lined with tens of cauldrons all boiling over different multi coloured flames. Harry proceeded further to find a small room marked, sports inventions. Curious as to what this one might contain, he entered it. He found a figure dressed completely in white hunched over what looked like a muggle skate board sans wheels. The Man was middle aged, had a dark moustache and wavy, unruly hair. He seemed not to notice Harry's entry and continued to be deeply immersed in his work. He had a crystal ball, which he had attached to the skate board. He then muttered some spells directed at the skate board and the colour in the crystal ball changed from transparent to dark blue. Harry watched fascinated at the whole process. He had never understood how the Magical items he used had actually been invented and manufactured. 

" Would you like to try it?" He asked.

Startled Harry looked at the man. He had obviously finished his experiments and was now scrutinizing Harry with interest. 

" Would you like to try it?" he repeated, this time Harry saw that the man was pointing towards the skate board, if he could call it that.

"What is that? By the way, I didn't want to disturb you, I just couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk" Harry said, worried that he had disturbed the man.

" Ahh, no no. In fact it is good that you came. I rarely have company and I have just finished checking my new Windboard.  By the way I am Stephen Matthews. You can call me Steve." He said as he offered his hand to Harry.

" Harry, Harry Potter" Harry said shaking his hand.

"Ahh! Mr. Potter the Gryffindor Team seeker, if I am not mistaken. You see I was one of the guests at the last Hogwarts Quidditch Finals. Mr. Dumbledore was kind enough to invite me. I saw you play. You really fly well Mr. Potter."  He said.

Harry Just nodded his head and said thanks.

" That is all the more reason you should be the first person to try out my new invention the Wind board and tell me wether it works well" He said with his twinkling with excitement of a child who has just discovered a new toy.

Harry agreed.  The board floated in the air a few inches above the ground. Harry stepped onto it and kicked off the way one would of a Muggle skateboard. The windboard immediately sprung off and Harry zoomed all over the main room, right over the bubbling cauldrons. In the beginning the speed was breakneck, but soon Harry learnt to control the speed the way one would in a broom. The more control he got the more he enjoyed the ride. 

After Harry had given his feedback, which mainly consisted of increasing the weight of the Windboard to allow greater balance and also a more aerodynamic shape, he sauntered off back to the main hall. On his way back Harry saw Lara sitting in the library studying. Not wishing to disturb him he continued on his way. But his mind had started working and he remembered the book he had acquired so ingeniously at Flourish and Blotts. Hence he went back to his dorms and brought back the book with him. He pored over the book all night but wasn't able to make head or tail of the script. In fact he wasn't even sure which script it was. He decided the time had come to seek some help on the subject and who better than the French Expert on Languages.

The next day at noon, the nurse informed Harry, that he had been discharged and was free to leave. Harry had not forgotten his appointment with Prof. Pandit, in fact it had been on his mind all morning.  For starters he had no Idea how to go to Prof. Pandits 'Office'. From what he had seen it would be quite difficult to get to the ledge unless one could fly. The only option, which hence remained before him was to try and catch Prof. Pandit's attention. He entered the main hall, which was buzzing with activity. He looked up at the ledge and found the Professor immersed in some work. In spite of his frantic efforts he was not able to catch his attention. Hence only one option remained before him he took out his wand and aimed a flare at some place right in front of the professor.  It did what it was intended for and the professor glided down to pick him up.  He took his hand and levitated both of them right back onto the top of the ledge.

Prof. Pandits office was an amazing place. From the top of the ledge one could see what each and every person down in the hall was doing. There was a small fireplace and a homely looking fire was crackling inside. The room was bigger than what one could see from outside. Another feat of Wizarding architecture wondered Harry. The walls were lined up with all kinds of weapons and shields with strange emblems and names on them. The area right above the fireplace, was covered with a superb Sign. And a part of that sign was similar to the new scar Harry had acquired just a few months ago.

"What is that sign professor" Harry asked.

" That Harry is an Ancient Sanskrit Rune. It is called OM. It in itself includes all the energy in this world. It transcends the boundaries of space and Time.  It signifies protection from all things evil. It is one word which can help you to meditate and concentrate all your energies."

" Professor how is it that you can fly. I have never seen any other wizard do that."

" I would better place it by saying that it is movement through space. It is an ancient Magic. It is all in the mind. It is the mind, which puts restrictions on your physical ability. Wizards a thousand years ago could do many things that we today cannot. The Time Turner is an excellent example of movement through the dimensions of time." The professor said with a bemused expression on his face.

" The reason why I have called you here Harry is to discuss with you some implications of your animagus transformation." 

Harry just nodded his head.

" It is the seventh time in Two centuries that we have had a Phoenix animagus. You are the fifth one alive in this century. It is an extremely rare phenomenon. But every time a Phoenix animagus has come it has been to balance the powers against the dark forces.  Did you ever guess how Professor Dumbledore has been around for so long. How having defeated Grindlewald, he is still around at the times of Voldermort who at one time was himself his pupil?  Did you ever guess why a phoenix agrees to stay with him and give him company because it is no ordinary creature and would not take any normal wizard for companionship.  The answer to all this puzzles lies in the simple fact that Professor Dumbledore is also a Phoenix animagus."

Harry stood agape, listening to what Professor Pandit had just mentioned. It all figured. Why Voldermort was afraid of Prof. Dumbledore.

" Harry, I mentioned this because in a span of one month you will be leaving Jadushala to go back to Hogwarts to keep up with your studies there and more importantly be under the care of Prof. Dumbledore and learn from him. You will return to Jadushala during every Vacation that you have for furthering your training. More ever Prof. Dumbledore himself has told me to acquaint you with this fact."

He said.

" But Professor, I have so much to learn how will I be able to learn so much in a span of one month"

" Hmm! That can be arranged. Harry I will allocate to you, a Room. It is called the 'Room where time stands still'. As can so obviously be deciphered from the name itself, there can be no movement of time there so the amount of time you spend there while learning will be saved.  Do you have any other questions" he asked

" Professor does this mean that I will be Immortal or something?" Harry asked a worried expression on  his face. The last thing he wanted was to outlast all his friends and loved ones.

" No. Anything that comes to life must End at some point of time. The Phoenix transformation does slow down the ageing process when you are in the Human form. However it does not stop it. Also if you were to be attacked fatally when you are in your Animagus form. You will not die you will rise again like a phoenix.  But it is important to transform into a Phoenix when you are attacked, otherwise you shall be affected in the same manner any normal wizard would. This is one reason why no Phoenix Animagus discloses his secret to anyone.  Any Phoenix animagus has only Two options when he gets very old and feeble, either to die or to turn into a phoenix for life. Very few have accepted the latter option and stuck with it."  Prof. Pandit's tone was grave and thoughtful when he mentioned the last sentence.

Harry was still trying to absorb all that had been said.  The information was startling and disturbing. He was proud of the fact that Prof. Dumbledore had confided such important information to him. Harry had to learn more than he had in the last three years at school in a single month. One of them was an ancient language. The other was dueling. The third most important thing he had to do was to take steps to safeguard his friends. He had to refrain from telling anybody his true status. It would only increase the dangers he faced and the dangers they faced.

Harry took leave from the professor and proceeded to the library.  There he started reading the newspapers of the last few days. The news of the raid at Azkaban had filled the headlines. Graphic descriptions of how some of the inmates had been tortured and had their soul sucked out disturbed him further. Voldermort was back at his full strength. He had all his loyal followers back and had himself regained his full strength.  The fact that he had not led any other major attack till now was puzzling. He would never sit this quiet unless he had something up his sleeve. A discreet Voldemort was a greater danger than an openly aggressive one. All this only made Harry more determined to put his own Plan into action. 

Harry had a long chat with Fleur after showing her the book. Her eyes had lit up on seeing the book. She was interested in knowing the origins of the book but harry managed to change the subject. The end results of their efforts was a " Learn it yourself book-on ancient Sanskrit runes". Harry thanked her profusely for all her help and made her promise her complete secrecy on the matter. He also agreed to learn some other languages with her every day. 

Harry spent the next week juggling between Dueling lessons and practice and lessons with Fleur on Sanskrit.  He spent some time with Niki in the Transfigurations room just to keep up the pretences. He spent a lot of time in the 'room where time stands still'. He practiced his animagus transformation and studies on the Sanskrit language. Harry also spent some time with Lara who was an incredible storehouse of knowledge researching spells and going over Wizarding history. He was perennially seen running from one room to another.  The lack of sleep was taking its toll and he also looked very tired. 

Lara had seen Harry roaming around the main hall the night Harry saw him in the library. He just raised his eyebrow, shrugged and continued with his work. He had agreed to help Harry with his research work. He found it somewhat perplexing as to why Harry was studying all these diverse subjects. He found it perplexing as to why Harry was never in his dorm at night. He found it even more perplexing that he could never find Harry at certain hours in the day and that Harry came from the exactly the opposite direction he was supposed to come if he had just 'been dueling with Mike' as he explained. He could not understand why Harry Potter had to lie to him and what did he actually had to hide. So one fine day he decided to follow Harry. This was more tough for him than for anybody else considering his bulk. But it was made easier by the fact that Harry was always in a hurry and did not have time to see if somebody was tailing him.

It was on this fine day that Lara Pathan stumbled onto the 'room where time stands still'. It was on this fine day that Lara Pathan learnt what Harry Potter actually meant to the Wizarding World in England. It was on this fine day that Lara Pathan learnt what had happened at the hands of Voldermort on the other not so fine days. He learnt it, as many people said, from the horses mouth himself and he decided that day that he was going to do anything and everything he could to help Harry fight Lord Voldermort. It was on this day that Harry learnt of another dark lord who had ravaged another part of the world for so long. It was on this fine day that Harry learnt of the story as to why the Big Pathan as Lara was called in his hometown was orphaned when he was barely 10 yrs old. It was also on this fine day that Harry decided he was going to do everything Wizardly possible to help his friend in the fight against the other Dark Lord who called himself by another name. 

So it was on this day that an alliance was made between to two very powerful people from two very different parts of the world which was to have repercussions of historical proportions which only history would record as it progressed and only the Watcher would be able to tell you.

However all this was not known to the Two dark Lords as they too had forged an alliance of Historical proportions and at this very moment were engrossed in a meeting of sorts. The discussions in this meeting are shrouded in mystery yet, for the Dark Lords power yet prevents the watcher from penetrating the darkness. But he can make out that an agreement was reached which could have some catastrophic consequences.


End file.
